SAMUEL NNOROM AT NSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUDIES MUSEUM

An art installation by Samuel Nnorom curated by Ugonna Ibekwe for the Institute of African Studies Museum, UNN.

Opens Thursday July 18, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm WAT
Venue: Freedom Square, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Set in Freedom Square, the heart of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus, « Temporary Havens » is a public art installation that examines the theme of modern bordering and migration encounters in the context of the 2024 IAS-UNN International Conference. It features three white flag poles representing world peace and three hundred and ninety vibrant coloured mosquito nets, systematically organised to represent refugee shelters and organisations with a stake within refugee camps. The installation invites viewers to engage with the complex realities faced by migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons in our contemporary world.

The mosquito net, a symbol of protection in malaria-prone regions, takes on new meaning in this context. These nets create a labyrinth of barriers, simultaneously offering shelter and imposing confinement. This duality is a metaphor for the nature of borders themselves as structures that both safeguard and restrict, protect and entrap. The deliberate use of mosquito nets evokes the urgency of the ongoing battle against malaria, a health crisis that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations living in unhealthy environments.

Also, the net’s translucent quality creates visible yet intangible boundaries, similar to the invisible social, economic, and digital barriers that often impede integration and movement in our modern world.

« Temporary Havens » celebrates migrants’ resilience while highlighting their vulnerabilities. This installation invites viewers to reflect on the transient nature of safety and belonging in our increasingly interconnected yet divided world.

The exhibition remains open to the public until 14th August, 2024.