Mercedes E-Maduka

Lives and works in Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Artist statement

Emerging from the vibrant city of Kano, Nigeria, my journey began away from home at eleven, when I entered boarding school. It was a place that profoundly shaped me over the course of seven transformative years. After graduating, political and religious unrest in the city led my family to seek safety in Abuja, Nigeria. A year later, I ventured to Cairo for university, only to be uprooted again by a sudden political uprising, which led me to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. There, I graduated from the University of Manitoba's fine arts program in 2016 and have made my home ever since. Each step of this journey has formed a complex tapestry of belonging and identity within me. I often feel a pull between the joy of my memories and the emptiness of lost places. Growing up in a creative family—my father an architect and my mother an interior designer—instilled in me a passion for the arts from a young age. My formative memories are rich in moments of captivating conversations at the dinner table, drawing, painting, and exploring textile markets in Kano with my mother, who sacrificed sleepless nights to handcraft intricate designs with meticulous care. Initially drawn to graphic design and photography during my university years, I ultimately found myself drawn deeper into the world of hand-driven art forms, embarking on a self-taught journey into painting and sculpture, guided by invaluable mentorships along the way. Today, I explore themes of migration and identity, drawing on my...

Artwork