Born in Nigeria and based in London, Ekine draws on personal memory, inheritance, and our shared histories. Presented here for the first time, these works deepen his long-standing engagement with the Ife bronze mask – a recurring motif that acts as an ode to old masters in the ancient Yoruba city of Ife, connecting him to his heritage and serving as a carrier of story, emotion, and cultural resilience.

When The Dawn Delays, We Rise Anyway brings together a fresh series of Ekine’s distinctive paintings alongside sculpture, a medium recently introduced into his practice. These new works centre around the motif of the coin, a fading artefact that serves as a lens to question how value is assigned and whose histories are preserved.

Rooted in his unique storytelling, the exhibition will invite audiences to challenge powerful narratives that explore identity, resilience, and belonging.