Myth, Masks, and LEGO: Ekow Nimako’s Elaborate Afrofuturistic Sculptures

Mythology, landscapes, and technology converge in the meticulous, Afrofuturistic sculptures of Ekow Nimako. Using thousands of black LEGO bricks, the Ghanaian-Canadian artist explores legends and folklore of the African diaspora, creating figurative embodiments of allegorical creatures and spiritual beings. Through a single, modular medium, he highlights a wide range of cultural phenomena, from graffiti writing in his series Building Black GRAPHICA to sprawling metropolises in Building Black CIVILIZATIONS.

Recently, Nimako has been working on a collection inspired by African ceremonial masks, interstellar travel, machines, and geometric forms. Some of the works seen here are currently on view in Building Black AMORPHIA: Spiritual Starships at Harbourfront Centre, which is part of a program celebrating Black culture called ZUUMBA 365.

A sculpture of a mythical being with a baby's body with wings, made from black LEGO bricks

Nimako recently installed a multi-part piece titled “Children of the Rouge Valley” at the Rouge Valley Community Recreation Centre in Scarborough, Ontario, and he’s currently working toward another public installation on a Canadian university campus. Building Black AMORPHIA: Spiritual Starships continues in Toronto through August 31. Find more on the artist’s Instagram, including updates about forthcoming e-store drops.

A sculpture made from black lego bricks inspired by African ceremonial masks in a four-pointed star shape

A sculpture of a mythical being with a human head and torso and tentacles instead of legs, made from black LEGO bricks

A sculpture made from black lego bricks inspired by African ceremonial masks in a stealth triangle shape

A sculpture made from black lego bricks inspired by African ceremonial masks in a cube shape

A detail of sculpture of a mythical being with a human head and torso and a horse's body, made from black LEGO bricks

A sculpture made from black lego bricks inspired by African ceremonial masks in a shape of a diamond

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Myth, Masks, and LEGO: Ekow Nimako’s Elaborate Afrofuturistic Sculptures appeared first on Colossal.