Tracing Forms: The Art of Making opens at YSMA

…Exhibition explores how art comes to life

The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, has opened a compelling new exhibition titled ‘Tracing Forms: The Art of Making’, inviting audiences to look beyond finished artworks and into the processes that bring them to life.

The exhibition, which opened to the public on March 1, 2026, explores the act of creation across painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital media, and experimental picture-making within contemporary Nigerian art practice.

At its core, ‘Tracing Forms’ asserts a simple yet profound idea: art begins with making. Through brush and pigment, carving and casting, clay and fire, lens and software, fabric and layered surfaces, artists transform materials into meaning.

By foregrounding process, technique, and experimentation, the exhibition shifts attention to the decisions, skills, and innovations that shape artistic expression.

Structured into five thematic segments — Pigment & Gesture, Form & Structure, Pixel & Lens, Clay & Fire, and Surface & Reinvention — the exhibition creates a journey through the varied languages of making.

From energetic brushstrokes and carefully layered pigments, to sculptural forms carved in wood and cast in bronze; from digitally manipulated images to ceramics transformed by heat; and from textile-infused surfaces to mixed-media experimentation, the exhibition reflects the diversity and dynamism of contemporary Nigerian art.

Speaking on the significance of the exhibition, Jess Castellote, museum director, emphasized its institutional relevance:
“At the YSMA, education and creativity meet. ‘Tracing Forms’ reflects our mission to deepen understanding not only of what art is, but how art is made,” Castellote said.

“By revealing process, material, and experimentation, this exhibition opens new pathways for learning—for students, scholars, and the wider public, fostering a more informed and engaged audience. It demonstrates the museum’s commitment to positioning Nigerian art within global conversations about technique, innovation, and artistic knowledge.”

Charles Udeh, exhibition’s curator, underscored the conceptual thrust of the project: “Every artwork begins with a series of choices—about material, method, and transformation.

In this exhibition, visitors encounter those choices directly. Whether it’s the pressure of a brushstroke, the precision of a chisel, the heat of a kiln, or the layering of digital pixels, each technique tells a story. Tracing Forms invites audiences to slow down, look closely and appreciate art not only for what it depicts, but for the remarkable processes that bring it into being.”

By centering artistic process, ‘Tracing Forms’ aligns with YSMA’s broader mission to advance cultural scholarship, support artistic innovation, and create platforms for critical dialogue.

As a university museum, YSMA continues to position itself as a space where art is not only displayed, but interrogated, contextualized, and understood within local and global conversations. Through exhibitions such as this, YSMA continues to strengthen its standing as a pioneering institution shaping the discourse around Nigerian art and its evolving forms of expression.

‘Tracing Forms’ is currently on view at the Fumilayo Shyllon’s exhibition gallery of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan-Atlantic University.

Art enthusiasts and the general public are warmly invited to experience this dynamic exploration of the nation’s artistic practice.

Described as “the apex of a collector’s aspiration to preserve his art” and voted Museum Opening of the Year by Apollo Magazine in 2020, the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) at Pan-Atlantic University is West Africa’s leading university museum, committed to service and impact through the preservation and showcase of the rich artistic heritage of Nigeria.

With an extensive collection of artworks spanning centuries, YSMA offers a diverse range of exhibitions, educational programs, and activities designed to create immersive experiences for visitors and to enrich the cultural landscape of the nation.