We loved the energy at the opening of Chika Idu's solo exhibition, PURE WATER at Arami. The turnout was great and feedback on the inaugural screening of our latest documentary film, From Shore to Studio, which traces the artist's creative journey, was superlative. An insightful fireside chat with Nigerian culture advocate, Sunshine Alaibe, highlighted the complex stories and layers of meaning embedded in Idu's thirty works in oil, acrylic, mixed media and watercolour, referencing ecology, history, migration, innocence and liberty.
The conversation was engaging as the audience responded to Idu's art with intriguing questions and comments. While the artworks displayed are visually magnetic, the film strengthens the viewers "experience" by exploring Idu's physical and psychological documentation of the powerful ocean currents, through detailed sketches of the coastal landscape.
The communities that live and work along Nigeria's shores are the inspiration behind this new body of work. "Pure Water" is a critical and ironic reference to Idu's swimmers submerged in a pristine and balanced underwater world, while also referring to the plastic "pure water" drinking sachets, used to quench the thirst of millions of Nigerians within heavily populated and polluted city centres. These water sachets clog up the drains and waterways, becoming an environmental hazard which affects people's quality of life.
The exhibition runs from 5th September to 30th November 2026.
Pure Water
Opening Exhibition Text
October 8, 2026
