The project will be a collaboration between world-renowned architect David Adjaye, OBE in collaboration with Nigerian architects MOE+, which will house a Materials and Digital lab, Archaeology Centre and Research and Archives Facility.
At an interactive media parley in Lagos, Phillip Ihenacho, Executive Chairman of The EMOWAA Trust explained that his organization’s initial focus would be on creating an ecosystem for research education and career opportunities for young creatives and professionals in cultural heritage management.
“EMOWAA’s initial focus will be on creating an ecosystem for research education and career opportunities for young creatives and professionals in cultural heritage management.
The Pavilion is planned as anarchives and research centre, providing space for learning and exchange, and archival space for works of art from West Africa and the Diaspora both contemporary and heritage.
It will also be a space that will help catalyse the art and culture ecosystem by providing infrastructure for training, residencies, digital production, and growing a pipeline of future artists and researchers. In short it is about building platforms for the study, creation and display of art.”
EMOWAA’s mission is to support West African heritage and culture as well as empower contemporary creatives by providing infrastructure, research, education and training for scholars and creative professionals
This first building under construction will provide modern research facilities for artists and academics from across West Africa, and Archaeological and Material Lab. This 4000 sqm facility will provide the digital equipment and facilities to support the storage and study of West Africa’s unique cultural knowledge base and bring to life our imagined futures into 2D/3d reality for global access and engagement.
With a major focus on learning and artistic and academic engagement, the Pavilion will house a visitor centre for engaging the local stakeholders through ongoing initiatives and programming. At the heart of these initiatives is a commitment to redefine how research, archives and collections are engaged with, challenging notions of expertise and exclusivity.
An example of one of these programmes launched recently is the Open Learning initiative developed in partnership with the Open Society Foundation in Africa.The initiative has engaged over 520 students in Benin City, Edo State to discuss with them the rich cultural history of West Africa and potential career opportunities within heritage management or arts.
The EMOWAA Trust will not only build the Pavilion, but also provide leadership and support in creating a cultural district in Benin City. The creative district will collaborate with, and boost the success of all existing cultural institutions in Benin City including the future Royal Benin Museum and NCMM—facilitating a thriving creative hub that attracts tourists.
