Words on Show

Hello,

My name is Itseme Akede, and I am curating a first of its kind story exhibition designed to showcase Nigerian stories in a unique, unconventional and unexpected way.

For many years, the idea of exhibitions have connoted visual art pieces consisting of paintings, drawings, sculptures, artefacts and installations, and not many have considered the literary arts worthy of exhibition. Stories have been confined to hard covers and bookshelves.

It is for this reason that I am hosting Words on Show - a literary exhibition experience - curated to take the reader on an imaginative journey through short stories and accompanying art. Unlike conventional exhibitions, you will need more than just your eyes, you will need your mind. Here, stories will be on show in glass cases just like in an art gallery.

The exhibition will feature 8 short stories alongside artworks inspired by the said stories. The stories will be Nigerian fiction stories. With the attention span of many dwindling, reading a full book has proved challenging for some, and bearing that in mind, we have made sure to only showcase flash fiction pieces that can be read in less than 5 minutes.

It’s main objectives are:

1. To bring attention to the short story art form.
2. Curate an experience where words meet visual art.
3. Showcase upcoming visual artists.

The event hopes to see artists, art lovers, readers, book lovers and writers alike come alive in a space designed to appreciate the art form. We hope it serves as an inspiring space where attendees let their imagination take them into the world of the characters and leave them reeling with a mind full of alternate lives and possibilites.

Attendees will be given a pamphlet of all showcased stories and artworks as a souvenir. Attendees will also be treated to light bites after the exhibition.