Ayobola Kekere-Ekun’s Terrains of Memory Brings Personal Stories to Cape Town
The 2021 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador returns to South Africa with an intimate solo exhibition exploring memory, emotion and lived experience
Cape Town, 18 August 2026 — Nigerian artist Dr. Ayobola Kekere-Ekun has returned to South Africa with a new solo exhibition that explores the complicated relationship between memory, emotion and personal experience.
Titled Terrains of Memory, the exhibition opened at the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery in Cape Town on 5 August and will remain on view until 26 September 2026.
The exhibition marks another significant chapter in the career of Kekere-Ekun, who was named the 2021 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador. Her return comes as Absa L’Atelier Art celebrates 40 years of creating opportunities for African artists to share powerful stories through their work.
Turning memory into material
Kekere-Ekun began her professional art career in 2016 at Rele Gallery in Lagos, Nigeria. Since then, her work has travelled across international art spaces, with exhibitions spanning cities including Lagos and Los Angeles.
Her practice is closely connected to personal storytelling. Through her creative alter ego, “Zak”, the artist explores the ways human experiences can shape identity, memory and an artist’s creative journey.
In Terrains of Memory, fabric becomes an important part of that exploration.
As Kekere-Ekun folds and manipulates fabric, the material takes on emotional significance, becoming a visual representation of memories and the complexities of navigating turbulent periods in life.
The result is an exhibition that encourages viewers to consider their own relationship with memory and the experiences that have shaped them.
A deeply personal exhibition
Speaking at the opening, Kekere-Ekun reflected on the significance of being able to share the work publicly.
“I feel grateful to be at a point where I can not only make the work I have made but also share it publicly. It has been a long road, and I am glad that I am here.”
She describes Terrains of Memory as a particularly vulnerable body of work, saying conversations with visitors have revealed how strongly audiences connect with its themes.
“I think the show is morphing into a bit of a collective memoir one viewing at a time.”
That sense of shared experience is central to the exhibition. Although the work emerges from Kekere-Ekun’s own memories, its themes invite viewers to bring their own experiences to the interpretation.
A continued relationship with Absa L’Atelier Art
Kekere-Ekun’s relationship with Absa L’Atelier Art began with her 2021 Ambassador Award.
Her first exhibition connected to the programme was the 2022 joint exhibition Refuge: An Uncommon Home, hosted at the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg.
Her latest exhibition represents another milestone in that relationship and comes during the 40th anniversary celebrations of Absa L’Atelier Art.
According to Dr. Paul Bayliss, Senior Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, Kekere-Ekun’s return comes at an important moment for the programme.
He says Terrains of Memory demonstrates the power of art to give audiences a space to engage with emotions and experiences that can otherwise be difficult to express.
From Lagos to the global art world
Over the years, Kekere-Ekun’s work has reached audiences well beyond Nigeria and South Africa.
Her exhibitions have taken her work from Lagos to Los Angeles, while her distinctive approach has attracted attention from international audiences and prominent figures including Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.
Her return to Cape Town therefore represents more than another exhibition. It highlights the growing international reach of African artists and the importance of platforms that support artists in developing and sharing their voices.
A fitting home at AVA Gallery
The Association for Visual Arts Gallery has played a longstanding role in Cape Town’s art community.
As one of the city’s established visual arts spaces, AVA Gallery has hosted generations of artists and exhibitions that have contributed to the development of South Africa’s artistic landscape.
Terrains of Memory now joins that history, bringing Kekere-Ekun’s distinctive exploration of fabric, memory and emotion to the gallery’s walls.
Looking towards the next generation
The exhibition also arrives ahead of another major moment for Absa L’Atelier Art.
The organisation is preparing to announce its 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassadors at the Absa L’Atelier Art and Lifestyle Fair on 10 October 2026.
For Absa, the next chapter continues a four-decade commitment to supporting African creative talent and providing artists with opportunities to build sustainable careers and contribute to the continent’s cultural landscape.
For visitors to Cape Town, Terrains of Memory offers a more immediate opportunity to encounter the work of an artist whose practice demonstrates how deeply personal experiences can become powerful shared stories.
Exhibition details
Exhibition: Terrains of Memory
Artist: Dr. Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, 2021 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador
Venue: Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town
Dates: 6 August – 26 September 2026
Entry: Free
