The Shape of Memory

In celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to present a group exhibition featuring the powerful works of Alain Joséphine, Babajide Olatunji and Nkechi Ebubedike represented by Tafeta Gallery. Though each artist draws from a unique cultural background and personal history, their practices are united by a shared exploration of heritage, identity, and collective memory. From Olatunji’s meticulous reconstructions of Yoruba traditions, to Ebubedike’s intimate reflections on diaspora and belonging, and Joséphine’s poetic abstractions, rooted in the light, landscape, and memory of the Caribbean, enrich the exhibition’s dialogue on how Black artists reclaim and reinterpret history through contemporary visual expression.

Born in Fort-de-France, Martinique, Alain Joséphine (b. 1968, Martinique) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux and is a member of CEREAP (Centre for Research in Aesthetics and Plastic Arts). His large-scale abstract paintings examine the sensory and symbolic dimensions of landscapes from his childhood, creating a personal pictorial language rooted in memory and materiality. His work has been featured at Fondation Clément (Martinique), Christie’s London (Transatlantic Connections), and Cromwell Place. Last year, Alain’s work was featured in the Soulscapes exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery,

Sans titre 170, 2021 (Acrylic on canvas)

A self-taught studio artist with a background in botany from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, Babajide Olatunji (b. 1989, Nigeria) has spent the past decade developing a rigorous and deeply evocative artistic practice. His ongoing Tribal Marks Series (since 2014) explores historical Yoruba scarification traditions through hyper-realistic, imagined portraits rendered in charcoal and pastel. These faces, painted from memory rather than direct reference, act as psychological and cultural avatars. Olatunji’s work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London and is held in major public collections including the Mott-Warsh Collection (Michigan), the Bank of England Museum (London), and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture & History (Lagos).

Young man with purple/green scarf, 2024 (Charcoal, pastel, and acrylic on paper)

Nkechi Ebubedike (b. 1984, Nigeria/USA) is a Nigerian-American artist based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds an MA from Central Saint Martins, London (2011), a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University, and studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Her multimedia works, layering acrylic, ink, plexiglass, and linen—explore spatial tensions and quiet psychological states. In 2019, her work was acquired by the Hessel Museum of Art (New York), and she recently completed the KinoSaito Residency in Westchester County.

Untitled (New Growth), 2024 (Acrylic, ink, plexiglass, linen on wood panel)

Trellis (Night), 2024 (Acrylic, ink, plexiglass, linen on wood panel)