The Centre’s permanent exhibition is a vibrant celebration of the Yoruba language, rituals, festivals, deities, and ancestry, ensuring that the legacy of Yoruba culture is vividly preserved.
Visitors are invited to immerse themselves into the rich pool of Yoruba myths and traditions, experiencing everything from the colorful energy of Yoruba festivals to the intricate visual culture of their history. This new visitor experience aims to create an immersive environment where traditional storytelling meets modern technology.
The experience begins when visitors enter the imponent entrance hall, where they are greeted by an intricately carved house post and a beautiful display of aso oke textiles. The exhibition’s journey continues through Yoruba culture with the ”Beginnings” section, which introduces visitors to the Yoruba creation myth through a visually striking and atmospheric presentation. This immersive narrative uses a Pepper’s Ghost animation inside a calabash to depict the formation of the world, enhanced by woodcut-inspired animations and the powerful sound of oríkì chants.
Further into the exhibition, visitors encounter the ”House of the Head” and the surrounding shrines dedicated to Yoruba deities, or Orisa, each carefully interpreted and adorned with beaded curtains reflecting their respective spiritual significance. The exhibition seamlessly transitions from myth to daily life in a typical Yoruba town, with displays showcasing the artistry of Yoruba craftsmanship, the significance of naming ceremonies, and the customs surrounding fertility and kingship.
As visitors proceed, they engage with Yoruba town life through interactive exhibits that explore weaving, marketplaces, and sacred authority. The journey then touches on the profound impact of colonialism and the slave trade on Yoruba culture, highlighting the resilience and adaptation of Yoruba traditions in the diaspora, including the creation of Candomblé and Santería.
The ”Modern Yoruba” section of the exhibition celebrates post-independence Nigeria, with a dynamic stage that brings to life the influence of Yoruba culture on music, theatre, film, and literature. This vibrant space not only honors past icons but also connects them to contemporary Yoruba art and fashion, offering a dialogue between tradition and modernity.
The experience culminates in the ”Future Yoruba” area, a temporary exhibition space featuring innovative art installations that respond to the evolving narrative of Yoruba culture. This includes works by local and international artists who explore themes of spirituality, identity, and the future of Yoruba practices. A video booth invites visitors to contribute their thoughts on how Yoruba culture might develop, ensuring that the Centre remains a living, evolving institution.
By blending traditional Yoruba narratives with cutting-edge exhibition design and technology, the Centre not only preserves and celebrates Yoruba culture but also engages visitors in a meaningful dialogue about its past, present, and future.
Partners
- Architects on Project: SI.SA Architects
- Fabricators: The Hub
- Audio-Visual Integration: Sysco Productions
- Interactive Media: Clay Interactive
- Lighting: DHA Designs
- Scriptwriting: Rotimi Fawole (translation Kola Tubosun, scriptwriting research from Will Rea)
RAA:
- Phillip Tefft: Director of the London Office
- Philip Hughes: Director and Project Director
- Sarah Okpokam: Content Developer
- Sadie Levy Gale: Content Developer
- Lily Lesser: Content Developer, Project Coordinator
- Charlotte Stevens: Content Developer
- Paul Williams: Scriptwriting Supervision
- Caroline Sjoholm: 3D Designer
- Andrew Gibbs: 3D Designer
- Simon Milthorp: 3D Designer (freelancer)
- Andrea Chapell: Graphic Designer (freelancer)
- Lai Couto: Website Designer/developer
- Steve Roberts: Artworking
All images copyright Jide Atobatele, Ademola Olaniran