The Museum Rietberg in Zürich, Switzerland, is hosting an exhibition titled “In Dialogue with Benin – Art, Colonialism and Restitution” from August 23, 2024, to February 16, 2025. The exhibition explores the intricate history and artistic heritage of the Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now Edo State, in southern Nigeria. It comes amid an ongoing global conversation about the restitution of cultural artifacts taken during colonial rule.
Note that this Benin refers to the historic kingdom and present-day city in Nigeria, not to be confused with the separate country of Benin, also located in West Africa, which was once home to the Kingdom of Dahomey. Benin, the country, is also contending with repatriation efforts, having recently received 26 royal treasures from France after nearly 130 years. Mati Diop’s latest film, “Dahomey,” chronicles this.
Two short documentaries were produced to complement the exhibition, shedding light on the museum landscape in Benin City and the curatorial process behind the Zürich exhibition.
The first film, made by Omoregie Osakpolor, and titled “Echoes and Horizons: An Exploration of Museum Culture in Benin City,” examines the evolving museum scene in the capital of Edo State, touching on the history of museums in Nigeria, beginning with the British colonial era in the 1940s, through the existing National Museum, established in 1973, and new establishments.
It emphasizes their importance as living vessels of history and culture.
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Here’s Osakpolor’s “Echoes and Horizons”: