The work presented at the exhibition is a costume of the Wizard of Oz and a series of collages referring to the retelling of L. Frank Baum’s famous story in the musical adaptation of William F. Brown’s 1974 book The Wiz, set in the context of contemporary African-American culture. Ugonoh’s interpretation goes back a decade and politicizes its implications by referring to 1960s events in the United States, combining religious themes, the civil rights movement, and the idea of the American dream, drawing attention to its elusive and unattainable dimension.
Ogi Ugonoh
(b. 1996) – Polish-Nigerian artist, costume designer, and activist living in Warsaw. She uses social media to promote the ideas of black beauty and self-acceptance. Her projects focus on race and social issues. As part of the WARSZAWA W BUDOWIE festival, together with Sara Alexandre, Noemi Ndoloka Mbezi, Aleksandra Dengo, and Marta Udoh – the activists who ran the #dontcallmemurzyn campaign during the pandemic – Ugonoh forms the Black is Polish group.
Rok powstania: 2020
digital collage. Courtesy of the artist.