REWA is a globally celebrated visual artist whose heritage-inspired art has been featured in fairs, museum and gallery exhibitions across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Her works have been part of group exhibitions at ReLe Gallery; the Gallery of African Art (GAFRA) in London; the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) in New York; Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town; Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in New Orleans; the Contemporary Art Centre New Orleans (CACNO); the Nigerian National Museum; Band Of Vices Gallery in Los Angeles; DeBuck Gallery and Urban Zen Gallery in New York; Out Of Africa Gallery in Barcelona.
She also has been a part of virtual group exhibitions with Artsy, CasildART and the UK Government. Her work has been shown at several renowned art fairs including Art Miami,Art Expo Chicago, Art Market San Francisco and Art Dubai. She has worked with global brands such as Unilever and Nike on campaigns such as the Vaseline Showcase at the 2019 Essence Festival and the 2019 Women’s World Cup Nike “Don’t Change Your Dream, Change the World” campaign. Her work has been featured on several episodes of Law & amp; Order: Organized Crime, ABC Network’s, Black-ish and Oprah Winfrey’s OWN “All The SingleLadies”; three hit television shows in the U.S.A.
Most recently, six of REWA’s artworks were featured in multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning, global superstar, Usher’s new music video, Ruin,ahead of his record-breaking half-time performance at the Super Bowl LVIII.Her works have been acquired by notable collectors including Beth Rudin DeWoody, CCH Pounder and the Bentata family and also forms part of corporate collections including AXA XL. Rewa holds a BSc in Physiology and Pharmacology (Combined Honours) from University College London (UCL) and was a recipient of the Women in Management Africa (WIMA) Top 25 Women in Management Award 2024. Rewa was also recently recognised by the Lagos State Governor on International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022, as one of the EKO 100 Women for her commendable work across finance and the visual arts. She has attended executive training programs at leading institutions including Duke University and Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).
'Women of the Elephant Tusk: ndi otu odu" is a tribute to the rich cultural tapestry of the Igbo people, specically Onicha, the vibrant commercial city along the Niger River in South-eastern Nigeria. As an indigene of Onicha myself, and as a woman, it was important for me to highlight the Otu Odu society, the esteemed socio political women's group that forms one of the four governing bodies of Onicha.
This exhibition, two years in the making, relied on extensive research with my father, George Umunna, and aunt, Enyi Dibueze Cynthia Obianuju Lisk- Carew. It is my most personal exhibition to date, intertwining familial legacy with cultural exploration; most of the paintings and reference images are of my family members, making it a heartfelt tribute not only to the heritage of the Igbo people but also to the indelible mark left by my own lineage.
In "Women of the Elephant Tusk: ndi otu odu," I invite viewers to journey through the corridors of time, where tradition meets modernity. This exhibition is a celebration of Nigerian heritage and women's empowerment, echoing the voices of my ancestors and amplifying the contributions of women. It is a reminder that our cultural tapestry is rich and diverse, woven from the threads of countless generations
REWA
2024