Aindrea Emelife

Emelife, Aindrea
Aindrea Emelife, Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), Benin City, Nigeria, and Curator, Nigeria Pavilion, 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale Di Venezia.

Conference Report. December 2024

Rethinking Museums in the 21st Century: Reflections on CIMAM 2024

As I sit with my thoughts after attending the CIMAM 2024 Annual Conference, I am moved by the profound conversations and the intellectual generosity that marked this gathering of museum professionals from across the globe. In a time where the role of museums is being scrutinized, challenged, and reimagined, the conference served as both a compass and a mirror. It was a guide to new possibilities and a reflection of the challenges we face, particularly as we build institutions like MOWAA that seek to redefine what a museum can be in the 21st century, and in Africa.

Indigenous Practices and the Power of Rooted Narratives

One of the most resonant moments for me was the panel discussions centred on indigenous practices and their integration into contemporary museum strategies. These sessions not only illuminated the rich tapestry of indigenous knowledge systems but also highlighted the pressing need to shift from extractive paradigms to collaborative frameworks. Most profoundly, I was struck by the insistence on museums as custodians of living traditions rather than static archives.

At MOWAA, we are actively exploring similar themes. How do we honour the dynamism of West African art and its deep ties to oral histories, performative traditions, and community engagement? These discussions at CIMAM affirmed that this is not a peripheral concern but a central mission for any institution that seeks to remain relevant and authentic. It also posed questions about whose voices are heard and how the museum’s role can shift from authoritative to participatory. This theme feels urgent and necessary in our context.

Sustainability as an Ethical Imperative

Another highlight was the candidness with which many speakers addressed the sustainability of their institutions. I was struck by their willingness to divulge the internal workings of their organizations as they grappled with questions of energy consumption, decolonial practices, and equitable funding models. These discussions underscored a truth we cannot escape: sustainability is not merely a technical problem but an ethical and philosophical one.

At MOWAA, sustainability is not an afterthought. Iit is baked into our very foundation. As a new institution, we have the privilege and responsibility to implement practices that are forward-thinking from the outset. The dialogue at CIMAM reinforced the importance of designing systems that are not only environmentally conscious but also socially sustainable. How can museums in Africa, for instance, lead by example in addressing climate change while also ensuring that their economic models benefit local communities? These are questions we at MOWAA are asking, and it was invigorating to find colleagues around the world wrestling with them too.

The Philosophical Dimensions of Museum Practice

What struck me most profoundly, however, was the tone of philosophical inquiry that pervaded the conference. The speakers, in their openness and vulnerability, demonstrated a willingness to ask fundamental questions: What is a museum for? Who does it serve? How do we ensure it remains a space of dialogue, not dogma? These are questions that resonate deeply with my own practice as a curator.

At MOWAA, we are grappling with what it means to be a museum in Africa today. How do we reconcile the weight of history with the urgency of innovation? How do we build an institution that not only houses objects but also fosters critical thought and societal transformation? CIMAM provided a space to delve into these questions, and I left with a renewed sense of purpose.

Building Bridges, Forging Connections

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not reflect on the incredible colleagues I had the honour of meeting. The willingness of so many museum professionals to engage in dialogue, to share insights, and to extend their hands in collaboration was nothing short of humbling. These are individuals whose work I have long admired, and to converse with them as peers was an experience I will treasure.

I am particularly inspired by the possibility of building a network of new institutions that, like MOWAA, are at the beginning of their journey. It would be fascinating to hear how others have approached these questions at inception and to learn from their successes and failures as we shape our own path forward. There is something uniquely powerful about starting anew, about having the opportunity to design differently, and the conversations at CIMAM reminded me of the potential inherent in this moment.

A Call to Action

As I reflect on the conference, I am reminded of the words of Okwui Enwezor: “Museums are not neutral spaces.” They are spaces of power, possibility, and transformation. At MOWAA, we are committed to harnessing that power to tell stories that matter, to foster connections that endure, and to imagine futures that are inclusive and just.

CIMAM 2024 was not just a conference. It was a call to action, a reminder of the work that lies ahead, and an affirmation that we are not alone in this journey. The fire in my belly burns all the more brighter and the profound understanding and feeling of luck to be part of such an incredible journey, doing important work in an ecosystem of brilliant minds makes 2025 all the more exciting. To all the colleagues I met, to all the ideas shared, and to the spirit of collaboration that infused every session: thank you. Let us continue to push boundaries, ask difficult questions, and build museums that reflect the complexity and beauty of the world we inhabit.


Biography

Aindrea Emelife (b. 1994) is a Nigerian-British curator and art historian specializing in modern and contemporary art, with a focus on questions around colonial and decolonial histories in Africa, transnationalism and the politics of representation. She currently serves as the Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at MOWAA (Museum of West African Art) in Benin City, Nigeria - a new museum opening in stages from 2024 onwards.

Aindrea studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London before embarking on a multifaceted career as a curator and art historian, producing highly acclaimed exhibitions for museum, galleries and private collections internationally.

Recent exhibitions include BLACK VENUS; a survey of the legacy of the Black woman in visual culture which opened at Fotografiska NY, MOAD (San Francisco, USA) and Somerset House (London, UK). Her most prolific and deeply meaningful project to date recently opened - she curated the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale to incredible critical acclaim from the New York Times, ArtForum, Financial Times, The Times, The Guardian as well as amongst colleagues in the art world.

Aindrea is currently shaping and working on the exhibition programming for MOWAA for the next 5-10 years, including many personally led curatorial projects and commissions. Her first book, A Brief History of Protest Art, was released by Tate in March 2022. Emelife has contributed to exhibition catalogues and publications, most recently including Revising Modern British Art (Lund Humphries, 2022). Her next book, Black Venus, which will be a history of the Black woman in art and visual culture, will be published by Thames and Hudson and released early in 2026.

Since 2021, she has been part of the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm as well as serving on the Advisory Panel for the Transatlantic Slave Trade Memorial Commission.

Aindrea Emelife, Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), Benin City, Nigeria, and Curator, Nigeria Pavilion, 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale Di Venezia, has been awarded by the Getty Foundation, Los Angeles.