Temidayo SDL Arise’s “Memoria” at SO.NNE by A Whitespace Lagos

This July, the Lagos art scene is set to welcome “Memoria,” the first solo exhibition from Nigerian artist Temidayo SDL Arise. On view from July 12 to July 18, 2025, at SO.NNE by A Whitespace Lagos, the exhibition is a collaboration with A Whitespace Creative Agency and Booze and Peppermint, inviting viewers to explore memory, history, and spiritual recall.

“Memoria” is a boundary-defying manifesto, presenting 24 individual artworks, each a profound excavation of memory and self. Operating at the dynamic intersection of surrealism, African spiritual cosmology, and speculative realism, SDL’s work meticulously deconstructs religious iconography, reassembles Nigerian lore, and interrogates the inherent fragility of identity within our increasingly digitised world. Through his distinctive digital medium, each piece functions as both a portal and a mirror—independent of time yet reflecting our present reality and endless possibilities.

Temidayo SDL Arise is more than just an artist; he is recognized as a cultural futurist and mythmaker. His impressive career spans global showcases at prestigious events such as Art Basel Miami (2021) and Galeria Lisboa (2022), alongside significant exhibitions across Lagos. As the co-founder of the experimental Ilorin-based art house Indigo and head of HAKAI Studios, SDL’s multidisciplinary approach seamlessly blends fine art, engineering, fashion, and design, firmly positioning him as a leading voice shaping the future of African creative thought.

His formative experiences deeply inform his output, allowing “Memoria” to offer a compelling window into the artist’s inner world and how his life experiences are intrinsically linked to his creative process through core themes and motifs.

Accompanying the exhibition is an exclusive art book, also titled Memoria. This vital component serves as a tactile extension of SDL’s internal architecture—a literary and visual journal that blends archival fragments, insightful essays, intimate process sketches, and profound spiritual meditations. Designed to read like scripture from a parallel world—part gospel, part field note—it captures the stillness and motion of memory in ink, texture, and typography, offering a unique opportunity to delve deeper into SDL’s universe.

The realization of “Memoria” is a testament to strong collaborative vision. Produced by Booze and Peppermint, an emerging force at the forefront of culture, film, and publishing, and hosted at SO.NNE by A Whitespace Lagos, a venue renowned for curating experiences that consistently push cultural boundaries, this exhibition represents a rare convergence of innovative storytelling, robust infrastructure, and forward-thinking creativity.

“Memoria” promises to be an essential exhibition for anyone interested in contemporary African art, digital media, and the profound human experience of memory and identity.