Recently opened at Art Twenty-one, Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos is an exhibition of sculptures representing the Chibok school girls abducted in 2014 in Nigeria.

The Art exhibition is the cooperative effort of French multidisciplinary artist, Prune Nourry from the Department of Fine & Applied Arts of the Obafemi Awolowo University and the families of the over 250 Chibok girls abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State, Nigeria.

The exhibition which had 108 sculpture heads by the French artist and students of OAU Fine & Applied Arts department was tagged “Statutes Also Breathe” and inspired by the ancient Ife terracotta heads. It also stimulated memory of the Igbo Landing of the Igbo slaves who decided to drown instead of surrending to slavery in US.

The exhibition hall was packed full with carved heads on tripods stands, lovers of arts and representatives of mothers of the holding as a campaign to ensure the return of the remaining girls. 

It featured an audio-visual medium which showed the processes involved in the making of the artworks and also a documentary of the rescued Chibok girls who shared their experience while in captivity.

According to the French artist, Nourry, the art exhibition is to remember the Chibok girls as the works are symbols of their agony which also signify love for the girls. 

The project seeks to raise awareness on the state of the Chibok girls still missing and serve means of advocacy on girl child education. 

The exhibition is scheduled to run till 4th February, 2023 on a tour across the world and the sculptures will be taken to the permanent collection of a museum in Africa upon completion of the tour. 

The President of the Missing Chibok girl’s Parent Association, Yakubu Nkeki described the exhibition as a great vision and by seeing the artworks, the Chibok girls will not be forgotten.