Wanderlust 5
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This artist is regularly present in many international events for example at theWorld Encounters of Artists and Intellectuals in Caracas, Venezuela.
In 2015, Arthouse-The Space presented Tools of Conflicts, one of his solo exhibitions with recent work in drawing, photography, painting, installation and video.
The artist explores the media portrayal of violence, suffering and trauma while addressing the issues of cultural diversity and memory in a global context. In some works, Udemba addresses the reality of violence against women and children, often as victims of conflict resulting in displacement and inequality.
According to the artist, “The current animosities in parts of Nigeria today and in other parts of the world are striking reminders that violence and conflict are depressing characteristics of man. In a recent United Nations report, for the first time since the end of the Second World War, about 50 million people around the world were forced to relocate due to armed conflict. Nevertheless, as long as these tragedies do not affect us directly, we have the remarkable ability to close our eyes. What we see is only figures on victims that are commonly produced by the media. After a while, these numbers begin to lose their meaning. They become something else: simple statistics. The question is: can art be appropriate as a form of counter-pole to conflicts by moving images from one context to another?
Udemba has won numerous grants, awards and residencies in Africa and Europe. Notable exhibitions and awards include recent projects at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, a project grant with the Prince Claus Fund in the Netherlands and a project grant from Siftungskunstfonds in Germany.
