Nigerian visual artist and photographer Chidozie Oliver Maduka held his first-ever East African solo exhibition at Afriart Gallery in Kampala from August 6th to 12th, 2023.
The show, titled “Roots and Radiance,” offered a deeply personal yet universally resonant visual journey through African identity, ancestral memory, and cultural pride.
The exhibition featured a series of portraits and symbol-rich compositions, many centered on Black resilience and rootedness. Using light, fabric, posture, and setting, Maduka’s photographs evoked a sense of sacred stillness—one that honors heritage and affirms the quiet dignity passed down through generations. Viewers moved slowly through the space, drawn in by the emotional layers of each frame.
“Roots and Radiance is about remembering who we are beyond the noise,” Maduka said during the opening. “It’s about honoring the beauty and power embedded in where we come from, and how that heritage shapes how we walk through the world today.”
The exhibition sparked meaningful conversations among Kampala’s creative community and was well attended by artists, curators, collectors, and cultural enthusiasts from across East Africa. It marked not just a significant milestone for Maduka, but also for Afriart Gallery, which continues to champion contemporary African art and emerging voices from across the continent.
Chidozie Oliver Maduka is a Nigerian photographer and visual storyteller whose work explores identity, cultural memory, emotional depth, and the layered experience of being Black in a modern world. His artistic lens is grounded in both introspection and community, capturing the richness of African life in its quiet, often overlooked moments.
Maduka’s work has been exhibited in notable art spaces across West Africa and internationally, including LagosPhoto Festival (Nigeria), the African Artists’ Foundation (Nigeria), and Photoville in New York.
He has been featured in art and culture platforms such as The Republic, Nataal, and African Arguments, earning recognition for his unique ability to merge fine art with documentary storytelling.