Yinka Olatunbosun
History has long recorded the 1897 British Punitive Expedition, which resulted in the looting of numerous priceless Benin Bronzes. Since then, socially committed artists have created replicas of some of these iconic works, paying homage to a lost heritage. The desire to crystallise this cultural history still burns brightly in the creative world. For multidisciplinary artist Olanrewaju Atanda, revisiting Nigeria’s colonial past through visual arts is not merely an artistic choice—it is a deliberate engagement with memory, identity, and cultural reclamation.
Since relocating to the UK, Lagos-born Atanda’s practice has evolved to reflect both his Nigerian roots and the cultural influences of his new environment, drawing viewers into spaces of reflection, emotion, and dialogue. From starting as a comic artist at the age of ten, Atanda has matured into a multidisciplinary practitioner specialising in drawing, painting, mixed media, and calligraphy.