Known for her visually seamless, emotionally charged works, the Lagos-born artist first captured major attention in 2016 at Rele Gallery in Lagos. Since then, her unique artistic voice, often expressed through her creative alter ego, "Zak", has resonated globally. Her folded fabric technique serves as a tactile translation of raw emotion, transforming complex human experiences and turbulent personal histories into striking visual statements. Along the way, her work has caught the eye of high-profile global art collectors, including Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.

Dr Kekere-Ekun’s connection with the Absa L’Atelier Art ecosystem runs deep. After claiming the coveted Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award in 2021, she presented her joint exhibition Refuge: an uncommon home at the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg in 2022. Her return to the stage with Terrains of Memory marks another milestone, both for her evolving career and for Absa L’Atelier, which celebrates 40 years of championing African creatives.

Reflecting on the opening, Dr Kekere-Ekun shared a deeply personal perspective on revealing this new body of work:

“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 remarked. “I actually feel quite vulnerable, which I did not expect. From conversations I have had with people who have seen the show, they seem to really understand and relate to the themes I was trying to explore in a deeply personal way. I think the show is morphing into a bit of a collective memoir one viewing at a time.”

This vulnerability sits at the heart of the showcase. Dr Paul Bayliss, Senior Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, highlighted the timing and emotional depth of the project:

“Dr Ayobola’s return with Terrains of Memory comes at a very opportune moment as Absa L'Atelier Art celebrates 40 years of supporting artists to tell stories that shift society and create a deeper understanding of issues that we face,” Dr Bayliss stated.

“What Dr Ayobola has done with this exhibition is that she has shown art lovers and others that no emotion is too big or too complex to hold to yourself and that if those emotions are not expressed, these emotions will ruin our existence as we know it.”

Set within the historic AVA Gallery, a long-standing cornerstone for pioneering artistic voices in South Africa, Terrains of Memory also sets the stage for the broader 2026 Absa L’Atelier programme. The debut signals the countdown to the announcement of the 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassadors, set to take place at the Absa L’Atelier Art and Lifestyle Fair on October 10, 2026.

Plan Your Visit

• Exhibition: Terrains of Memory

• Artist: Dr. Ayobola Kekere-Ekun

• Venue: Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town

• Dates: 06 August – 26 September 2026

• Admission: Free