Where Imagination Takes Shape: Ekow Nimako at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery
- Ashley Marshall
- Aug 25
- 5 min read
In 2018, Toronto's Nuit Blanche was extended outside the downtown core and into Scarborough for the first time. The experience was curated by Alyssa Fearon, a creative and visionary whose work exudes clear focus and multifaceted representation. I loved strolling through the city, wholly immersed in the art I recognized and delighted to see familiar artists’ work. One of the pieces I wanted to see the most was Cavalier Noir, which depicts a young warrior child riding on the back of a unicorn, comprised entirely of black Lego pieces. This is the art of Ekow Nimako, a Toronto-based artist who uses Lego to tell stories about Black mythology, uniquely reaching back to evoke childhood elements and situate them in curious presents and possible futures. On September 20, the duo of curator Alyssa Fearon and artist Ekow Nimako are bringing their work to Oshawa.
Mark your calendar for day two of Oshawa's Convergence Music and Art Festival and be sure to visit the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) to see the work of Ekow Nimako, this time using his signature Lego installations to tell the story Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships. As the legend has it, during the 14th century, Mansa (which means King) Abu Bakr II, ruler of the Mali Empire, took a voyage of 2,000 ships across the seas, 200 years before Columbus. The way that Ekow Nimako is able to pull from the tethers of history to depict civilizations in ways we have never seen or heard before, but doing so while also creating space for us to play, to dream, and to imagine, is truly necessary, timely, and fabulous work.
I had the pleasure of meeting with Nimako in his studio, where we discussed his creative output as African futurism, Afro surrealism, and so much in between that connects the African continent with its various diasporas. Nimako mentioned that what he finds fascinating about his projects is how “the Lego becomes secondary” and “the materiality is questioned.” His work looks like the story it is telling.
While in his studio space, we bonded over Beddo Art, another cool artist who remixes childhood with the now and makes the memorable tangible. I first encountered Beddo Art at Toronto’s Fan Expo, the unofficial gathering spot of nerds near and far. Nimako had some of their art framed and hung on his studio walls. I was wearing my Beddo Art T-shirt featuring hip-hop heavyweights Erykah Badu, Aaliyah, TLC, and Lauryn Hill reimagined as iconic comic book covers. It’s a cool subversion of how a typically male-dominated genre can put women front and centre. Coincidentally, Nimako and I both had tickets to the Erykah Badu concert later that night.
I say all of this to give you a peek into what you can expect from Ekow Nimako's passion, interest, and work. The mediums we grew up with continue to grow with us and expand to farther and farther reaches. In gathering spaces that usually happen only once a year and only in major cities, the inclusion of Nimako’s work at the RMG further shows how Oshawa is on par with some of Ontario’s biggest events.
Ekow Nimako’s art has travelled internationally, and he has collaborated with some of the coolest people in the arts scene, including Director X (a Canadian music video director who has worked with Rihanna, Akon, Ice Cube, and more). Patrons get to meet the artists at the RMG on September 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. (register here). This opening reception includes an artist talk and tour starting at 2:15 p.m.
While Ekow Nimako’s work is Afrofuturistic and Black surrealist, it is also what he coins “alter-biological.” Nimako described his process of using these building blocks to create as akin to another way life may emerge. He said “[alter-biological] sounds like what it feels like to create,” adding that “they call DNA building blocks of nature…My intention is to breathe life into an environment.” The opening of this solo exhibition pairs perfectly with the energy of the Convergence Festival, transporting patrons into “out of this world” artistic creations. Nimako’s installations are approachable, clearly exhibiting imagination, technical skill, thoughtful research, and whimsy. All of this is true if you sit and look, read up on the mythologies that inspire each piece, and hear the artist talk. But even if you are a child, knowing very little about the history of the exhibition, you are still sucked into wanting to look, to hear, and very enticed to touch and to play with what has been presented before us. This event is truly for the entire family, as the reception includes a hands-on Lego activity for all ages. This reception is an exciting blend of accessing oral history and playing in the mythos while demystifying what we thought we knew about Africa and its civilizations. The community is invited to come and see what they get from the experience of seeing larger-than-life displays that are both informative and fun.
I remember going all the way to Scarborough to see Ekow Nimako’s work years ago. I remember imagining the warrior child riding the unicorn was a little Black girl, with her hair blowing in the wind as she rode the mythical creature. The installation reminded me that the imagination is a powerful tool and that childhood is truly something special. It is a time when we think anything is possible. It also reminded me about the importance of seeing depictions of Black people who have dignity, are powerful, and come from somewhere. It moves me to be able to see stories being told this way, and that I get to see more of them up close and in my own backyard.
It is a full circle moment that Ekow Nimako and Alyssa Fearon are now coming to Oshawa. I cannot express enough how worth the trip it is to see this pair live. Invite your friends and family from out of town. Be sure to RSVP as this event is likely to hit capacity. Right in time to see what Oshawa’s creatives are up to, the dynamic duo of Alyssa Fearon and Ekow Nimako gives us a taste of what else is possible with the power to dream.
Convergence Festival is already gearing up to bring out some of the world’s most renowned talent. I can’t wait to see you there!