MILAN, ITALY — September 16, 2026
Twenty-four years after Nigerian artists received international recognition at a painting competition in Florence, Nigeria returns to Italy with a broader proposition: to place African creativity at the centre of a new conversation between Africa and Europe through the Creative Economy.
On September 16, 2026, ARTNOVATION: Echoes of Renaissance in the Hues of Africa opens at Fondazione Luciana Matalon in Milan, bringing together contemporary African art, fashion, heritage, storytelling, technology, art for mobility and creative enterprise.
Curated by Foluke Michael, Chief Curator of ARTNOVATION, the exhibition runs from September 17–29, 2026, exploring how creativity can strengthen cultural exchange while opening pathways for enterprise, education, innovation, investment and cooperation between Africa and Europe.
The exhibition showcases 52 masterpieces, led by Master Artist Tola Wewe, in collaboration with Chief Dr Nike Davies-Okundaye and emerging artist Princess Marinay.
“We are not returning to Italy simply to exhibit African art. We are returning with a larger proposition: that Africa and Europe can create new value together through creativity, culture, enterprise and knowledge,” said Foluke Michael, Chief Curator of ARTNOVATION.
FROM FLORENCE TO MILAN: A JOURNEY CONTINUES
The Milan exhibition carries a remarkable historical echo.
In March 2002, Nigerian artists participated in the Caterina de’ Medici International Painting Competition and Award in Florence, with Foluke Michael facilitating the event. The Nigerian delegation received international recognition, including the Ex Tempore Gold Award, a Silver Medal, and a place among the competition’s Top Ten Works.
Twenty-four years later, the journey returns to Italy with a larger ambition: moving beyond cultural presentation towards collaboration and co-creation, connecting artists, creative businesses, institutions, investors and audiences across continents.
FOUR SERIES. ONE CONTINUING STORY.
At the heart of Echoes of Renaissance are four interconnected series that explore memory, identity, encounter, exchange, and the evolving relationship between Africa and Europe.
Afro-Italian Renaissance brings African and Italian artistic traditions into dialogue. The Rock That Remembers, first presented during Milan Design Week 2026, explores memory, place, innovation and cultural identity through the symbolism of Nigeria’s Olumo Rock. The Thread of Continents traces a journey from inheritance and encounter to trade, connection, cooperation and a shared future.
The fourth series, The Nine Seasons of Wole Soyinka, brings poetry, philosophy, African intellectual heritage and Renaissance imagination into the exhibition, reflecting on how ideas and legacies travel across generations.
Together, the series extend beyond the canvas into fashion, poetry, music, conversation and digital technology.
THE SPARK AT THE ECHOES
Echoes of Renaissance also marks ARTNOVATION's expansion into new creative formats, including the launch of the ARTNOVATION Digital Museum, a digital platform for audiences, collectors, and institutions.
A key unveiling is No. 17 — The Bridge of Motion, from The Thread of Continents, presented with Hybrid Motors Nigeria Limited. The work brings art into dialogue with mobility, Italian design, innovation and sustainability, opening a new conversation around creative-sector collaboration.
The exhibition also extends into wearable art, through an Afro-Italian collaboration between Fashion Director Aniyi Choosy Oluwatobi of Sixth Season and Italian Textile Artist and Fashion Designer Sara Sfregola, bringing African visual identity and Italian textile and fashion practice into a contemporary creative expression.
FROM LAGOS TO MILAN: A NEW CHAPTER
Echoes of Renaissance builds on ARTNOVATION’s AfroItalian Renaissance, hosted by the Italian Consulate General in Lagos in December 2025, and the organisation’s longer journey of connecting African creativity with international platforms.
In Milan, that journey enters a new phase—bringing together artists, designers, institutions, collectors and creative businesses around an emerging Africa–Europe Creative Economy agenda.
The exhibition opens at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Fondazione Luciana Matalon, Foro Buonaparte 67, Milan, and runs through September 29. The programme includes the ARTNOVATION Digital Museum, The Bridge of Motion, wearable art, fashion, poetry, music and Africa–Europe Creative Economy dialogue.
ABOUT ARTNOVATION
ARTNOVATION is an interdisciplinary creative platform connecting Africa and Europe through art, fashion, museums, education, technology, entrepreneurship and cultural diplomacy.
Founded by Foluke Michael, ARTNOVATION creates platforms that connect African artists, creative businesses and cultural ideas with international audiences, institutions and opportunities.
MEDIA / PRESS CONTACT
ARTNOVATION
Milan, Italy
Email:
Website: artnovation.art
