Heritage, Technology and the Collective Imagination

The pavilion articulates our evolving cultural self-conception whilst engaging with the Biennale’s central theme of Surface Reflections anchored against global discourses on design, identity and innovation.

THE NIGERIA PAVILION PRODUCED BY CULTURE LAB AFRICA

The Nigeria Pavilion presents itself as both an aesthetic and conceptual intervention. Its bold red walls offer immediate visual impact, while the content within functions as a reflection on Nigeria’s contemporary cultural landscape. At the core of the pavilion is an examination of the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity, particularly in relation to the rapid technological transformation occurring in rural and urban Nigeria alike. Technology, as positioned in the pavilion, is not simply a tool for innovation but a language of expression for a new generation. Across the country, youth-led startups and digital platforms are redefining Nigeria’s cultural and economic frameworks. The integration of digital technology into design and heritage practices is essential for global connectivity and the preservation of cultural identity in this digital age.

The Nigeria Pavilion reframes national identity as a participatory construct—an outcome of collective memory, inherited knowledge and technological mediation. Rather than presenting identity as fixed or essentialist, the pavilion highlights its dynamic and negotiated nature. Through the convergence of heritage and technology, it posits that design can serve as a medium for both remembering and reimagining.

By embedding interactive and speculative elements into the exhibition design—such as augmented reality artifacts and audio-responsive installations—the pavilion situates itself within a broader discourse on design futures. It explores how emerging technologies can be harnessed to preserve indigenous knowledge systems, stimulate creative economies and foster cultural continuity.

The Nigeria Pavilion exemplifies a model of cultural exhibition that integrates historical depth with forward-looking design thinking. It offers a framework for understanding identity as afluid, co-created process that bridges past and future, locality and globality. As a case study, it illustrates the value of grounding technological innovation in culturally specific narratives and practices. In this model, the act of making becomes an act of remembering and imagining. Through the lens of collective imagination, national identity is not only represented—it is constructed and reconstructed through ongoing collaboration, reflection and design.

Success lay in the capacity to tell a compelling story—one that interrogates the values and practices that constitute our evolving national identity thought a participatory act, merging technology and heritage. Identity, in this context, is not simply an individual journey. It is a collective negotiation, shaped by memory, layered histories and communal experiences. Nigeria, as a country, embodies many identities. However, at its core, Nigeria is defined by its creative excellence, resilience and enduring tradition of storytelling. Beyond this pavilion, We invite you to explore this process of making—of creating new things that fuse technological tools with historical and cultural knowledge. Your contributions to the world will reflect a powerful act of memory and imagination.

Curator: Myles Igwebuike

Designers: Myles Igwebuike, Chidi Nwaubani

Visual Direction and Programming: Itohan Barlow

Project Manager: Fiyin Adesanya

Cultural Collaborators: Bunmi Agosto, Khadijah Dikko, Allegra Ayida, Abayomi Folaranmi

Institutional Collaborators/Supporters: MOWAA, The Africa Centre

Advisors: Titi Ogufere, Anino Emuwa, Wale Lawal, Prof. Ikem Okoye, Kemi Ilesanmi

Production: Culture Lab Africa

Special Thanks to: Maire Abia-Bassey

Supported By: Moniepoint, Emeka Emuwa, Royal College of Art, Annie Okonkwo Foundation, SMO Contemporary, Niyi Adekunbi

Media Partner: Rolling Stones Africa