Chika Idu Interrogates Migration, Freedom in Solo Exhibition

Yinka Olatunbosun

At Arami, a fine-dining space in Lekki, Lagos, a collection of drawings and paintings unfolds a resonant story of water, childhood, migration, freedom, history and the environment. Titled Pure Water, the solo exhibition by Nigerian artist Chika Idu features 35 works currently on view, presented by SMO Contemporary Art.

The exhibition, which opened to the public on September 5 and runs until November 30, explores the relationship between people, water and the environment while reflecting on the difficult histories of slavery, migration and racism, as well as the continuing human search for freedom.

A press preview held on August 31 featured a guided tour and a screening of From Shore to Studio, a short documentary tracing Idu’s creative process.

Described as the artist’s largest solo exhibition to date, the show brings together paintings, drawings and portraits. It also marks the first time Idu is exhibiting drawings. Among the works are Convergence (Diptych) I & II, created between 2022 and 2025, and Osondi Owendi (2026), each measuring 150 by 120 centimetres. Their hazy yet colourful images of children at play and people engaged in everyday activities initially suggest scenes of innocence and leisure.

But beneath that apparent playfulness lies a more complex meditation on human experience. What constitutes leisure for one person, Idu explained, may amount to labour for another. He cited tourism as an example: while visitors travel for pleasure, those who receive and attend to them are at work. For him, the contrast underscores the need for balance and tolerance in society.

Idu said his swimming series began with environmental concerns before gradually expanding into questions of migration and racism. The works consequently engage with the history of the transatlantic slave trade, including accounts of enslaved Igbo people who, unable to endure the brutality of their captivity, died in the ocean.

Rather than dwelling solely on the tragedy, however, Idu said he chose to imagine the victims as finally free. That impulse runs through works such as Catharsis I, II & III, The Blue Quiet, Familiar Place and Fluid.

Environmental concerns remain equally central to the exhibition. Idu noted that many streams and rivers once relied upon by rural communities have dried up, forcing people to travel increasingly long distances in search of water.

Even the exhibition’s title carries an environmental sting. Pure Water refers to the ubiquitous plastic sachets of drinking water consumed across Nigeria. Once discarded, the sachets frequently clog drains and waterways, adding to the country’s mounting pollution problem.

In his remarks, Professor Frank A.O. Ugiomoh, an independent scholar and recently retired Professor of History of Art and Theory at the University of Port Harcourt, said Idu’s use of water as a metaphor connects histories of movement, displacement, vulnerability and the search for freedom.

“Memory is not just looking back. It shapes how we see the present and imagine the future,” he said.

For Idu, the exhibition is also a record of his artistic journey, bringing together concerns that have developed and evolved throughout his practice.

Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, Founder and Artistic Director of SMO Contemporary Art, said the gallery chose to work with Idu because of his originality, authenticity and commitment to his craft.

“As a curator, I am looking for an artist that has a unique perspective, something that is unusual,” she said.

“We want long-term relationships and we want artists that have integrity and show character, and Chika is an example of that.”

Obiago described Pure Water as almost a museum exhibition because of the extent of its documentation and presentation.

For Diana Nwandu, Director of Arami, hosting the exhibition was a natural fit given the venue’s strong connection to nature.

“From the rooftops of Arami, we have clear views of both the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Lagoon and waterways curving their way through the city of Lagos,” she said.

During the preview, Arami’s chefs also served guests fingerlings inspired by the exhibition’s aquatic theme.

Through Pure Water, Idu brings together art, history, migration and environmental concerns, turning water into a fluid metaphor for life, memory, displacement and freedom.