SOTO Gallery will on April 19 open its 2026 exhibition calendar with The Earth Holds Our Names, a solo exhibition by Nigerian contemporary artist Olumide Onadipe, exploring themes of memory, material transformation and cultural continuity.

Curated by Uchechukwu Obasi, the exhibition, which runs through May 31 at the gallery’s Ikoyi premises, presents about 20 works that interrogate the relationship between humans, history and the earth, drawing deeply from Yoruba cosmology and postcolonial realities.

The show marks the gallery’s first outing of the year, with founder Tola Akerele describing it as a carefully considered selection aimed at offering audiences a fresh perspective on sustainability and artistic expression.

“We are taking this first show very seriously and took our time to select the artist. Looking at sustainability from his perspective is interesting and we want visitors to experience it through his eyes,” Akerele said.

Onadipe’s works are distinguished by an unconventional sculptural language that transforms everyday materials, including dyed and rolled newspapers, nylons and drink foils bound with galvanized wire—into textured forms that blur the line between object and social commentary.

According to the gallery’s manager, Joanna Oyefeso, the exhibition highlights the artist’s deep engagement with Yoruba mythology and religious consciousness.

“The Oba Apase piece really stood out. Referencing Yoruba mythology, the artist has shown how deeply influenced he is by these traditions. Religion also shapes his worldview and reflects strongly in his work,” she said, noting that the materials used are both relatable and layered with meaning.

At the core of the exhibition is an exploration of time as cyclical and embodied, with Onadipe positioning himself as both a “keeper of space” and a “narrator of time,” tracing continuities between ancestral knowledge and contemporary life.

Speaking on his process, the artist said his choice of materials is guided by an intuitive relationship with them.

“The primary reason I do what I do is because the materials communicate with me. If they don’t, I won’t use them. The artist has a responsibility to his community, and using materials in this way helps open people’s eyes to the possibilities embedded in everyday objects,” he said.

He added that while his use of recycled materials may contribute to environmental awareness, his primary focus remains the narrative and symbolic potential of the materials themselves.
Onadipe further explained that the exhibition is conceived as a dialogue between humans and the earth, as well as between past and present generations.

“It is about how the earth hears our names, absorbs our stories and folds us back into its memory. It is a conversation between those who have lived before and those living now,” he said.

The artist also engages existential questions around life, death and spirituality, interrogating the role of religion and human existence within a broader cosmic framework.

Among the featured works is Eko Bridge, which he said emphasises feminine power as sacred and generative, and Opa Ase, a symbolic reflection on authority and leadership within modern democratic consciousness.

Through layered textures, suggestive forms and culturally rooted symbolism, The Earth Holds Our Names invites viewers to reflect on identity, heritage and the enduring imprint of human existence on the earth.