Reconstructing History, Reclaiming Heritage in Olanrewaju Atanda’s Ambitious Oeuvre

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.

Atanda’s oeuvre is driven by curiosity, storytelling, and a sense of responsibility to heritage. Through his intricate pencil works on black paper, he revisits historical narratives, confronting the absence left by looted cultural artifacts.

The choice of black paper is itself symbolic, evoking the cultural bereavement experienced by many immigrants and reflecting the broader gaps in Nigeria’s artistic memory. While some Benin Bronzes have recently been repatriated, the majority remain in museums abroad. By recreating these bronzes on paper, Atanda engages with themes of identity, displacement, and belonging, translating material loss into a medium of reflection and dialogue.

In works such as “Bini Bronze Head” (2025), Atanda revisits the legendary bronzes of the Bini people, capturing their elegance, detail, and symbolic power. His single-colour white gradient technique demonstrates how profound beauty can emerge from minimal materials, allowing viewers to explore layered narratives of heritage, loss, and resilience.

To further reinforce cultural identity, Atanda incorporates charcoal alongside oil, acrylic, ink, watercolour, and pencil, transforming paper and canvas into spaces where intuition and discipline intersect, and memory meets imagination.

Atanda’s work also celebrates rhythm, identity, and quiet reflection, inviting viewers into visual dialogues that engage texture, colour, and line—not simply for aesthetic pleasure, but for resonance and connection.

His “Ife Bronze Head” (2025) reimagines Yoruba Ife bronze heads, tracing pre-colonial history through careful layering of white gradients on black paper. The work radiates quiet elegance and reverence, honoring the sophistication of Ife artisans while prompting reflection on cultural pride and the enduring legacy of African art.

Beyond historical reconstructions, Atanda explores the human form and emotion. In “Seduction: Enchantment” (2025) and “Seduction: Charming” (2025), part of his Seduction series, he captures the subtleties of the feminine form through light, shadow, and negative space. His minimalist, monochromatic approach evokes vulnerability, strength, and mystery, inviting viewers to complete the narrative with their imagination.

Atanda also reflects his eco-conscious and spiritual sensibilities. “Gazing Upon the Lord” (2025), an oil painting of an American bald eagle inspired by the Bible, portrays resilience, hope, and spiritual renewal. Similarly, “Chaotic Beauty” (2025) interrogates the complexity of Black identity and celebrates cultural vibrancy despite struggle, while “Veronika” (2025) tells the story of a woman far from home navigating loneliness and service in healthcare. Through layered charcoal, graphite, and watercolor, Atanda elevates her quiet strength, highlighting the emotional labor and resilience of immigrants.

Across his oeuvre, Atanda breathes new life into historical forms while challenging conventional representation. By reinterpreting classical themes in contemporary contexts, he bridges the gap between two-dimensional and three-dimensional art, creating works that honor the past while asserting a modern, reflective voice.

Through his art, Atanda reconstructs history and reclaims heritage, inviting audiences to engage with memory, identity, and cultural continuity in ways that are both visually compelling and deeply resonant.