125 years after the Benin Bronzes were looted, Artist Victor Ehikhamenor has created a work that memorializes the 1897 event:
125 Years After the Benin Bronzes Were Looted, Artist Victor Ehikhamenor Has Installed a Symbol of Resistance at St. Paul’s in LondonFebruary 17, 2022
Nigerian-born artist Victor Ehikhamenor has unveiled a new artwork at St. Paul’s cathedral in London to mark the 125th anniversary of British forces’ notorious attack on the Kingdom of Benin and the subsequent unceremonious looting of the Benin Bronzes. using traditional Edo religious symbolism with the Catholic imagery of its surroundings, the design reflects the confluence of African and Western cultures in the post-colonial era. It was commissioned by art historian Dan Hicks and the head of collections at the cathedral to commemorate and encourage reflection on the horrors of the punitive exhibition and the turbulent narratives surrounding that history.