Touring Exhibitions

20 Historical Women Who Changed the World is a powerful touring art collection by British–Nigerian contemporary artist Chinwe Russell, celebrating women from across the four corners of the globe who, against all odds, transformed the world around them through courage, intellect, and leadership.

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Spanning fields such as science, politics, culture, environmental activism, social justice, and human rights, the collection brings together both globally recognised figures—including Elizabeth I and Marie Curie—and lesser-known but equally world-changing women whose contributions continue to shape modern life. These include Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and political activist; Stephanie Kwolek, the chemist behind Kevlar; Gerty Cori, Nobel Prize–winning biochemist; and Nwanyeruwa, whose leadership sparked the historic Women’s War in Nigeria.

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Through bold colour, symbolism, and narrative-driven composition, Russell intentionally shines a spotlight on women whose achievements have often been overlooked or underrepresented in mainstream historical narratives, inviting audiences to reconsider whose stories are told—and remembered.

The exhibition has toured across the UK and internationally, appearing in museums, galleries, cultural venues, and public institutions, and is frequently used as an educational and engagement resource for schools, universities, and community audiences.

The African Exhibition is a major touring collection by British–Nigerian contemporary artist Chinwe Russell, comprising two interconnected bodies of work: 20 Tribes of Africa, a series of expressive paintings celebrating the cultural diversity of the continent, and Gods of Africa, a powerful ceramic collection of 20 sculptural figures inspired by ancient African spiritual traditions.

The exhibition was conceived during a deeply personal period in the artist’s life. After living in Europe for over 30 years, Russell began to question her sense of identity, belonging, and cultural inheritance. Over time, the boundaries between her African origins and European cultural experience became increasingly blended. This collection emerged from her desire to reconnect, reflect, and better understand who she was becoming—artistically, culturally, and spiritually.

Central to the work is a conscious decision to shift the narrative away from skin colour and instead take audiences on a journey across the landscapes of Africa—to encounter the people, cultures, belief systems, and heritage of those who call the continent home. Through 20 Tribes of Africa, Russell highlights cultural specificity, dress, symbolism, and tradition, inviting viewers to engage with Africa through its diversity rather than a single, reductive lens. In Gods of Africa, the ceramic sculptures draw attention to ancestral spiritual philosophies, emphasising continuity, reverence, and the deep relationship between belief and daily life.

Together, the collections explore themes of identity, heritage, migration, spirituality, and cultural evolution, presenting Africa not as a fixed or distant concept, but as a living, dynamic influence. The exhibition encourages audiences—particularly those navigating questions of diaspora, hybridity, and belonging—to move beyond surface perceptions and engage more deeply with the histories and cultures that have shaped the continent and continue to shape the world today.

Lives, Lands & Legacies is a bold, narrative-led touring exhibition by British–Nigerian contemporary artist Chinwe Russell, exploring how history, place, and human experience intersect to shape the present. Through expressive, storytelling-driven works, the exhibition examines the enduring impact of past events on individuals, communities, and societies across generations.

The collection spans themes including migration, war and conflict, women’s lives, leadership, displacement, human rights, health, resilience, and cultural memory, inviting audiences to consider how personal stories are inseparable from the lands in which they unfold and the legacies they leave behind. Rather than presenting history as distant or abstract, Russell brings it into lived experience—centering ordinary people whose lives were shaped by extraordinary circumstances.

As the artist, Chinwe Russell uses colour, symbolism, and figurative storytelling to connect global histories with intimate human narratives. The works encourage reflection on how inherited histories—whether through geography, politics, culture, or family—continue to influence identity, opportunity, and belonging today. Central to the exhibition is the idea that legacy is not only what is recorded in history books, but what is carried forward through memory, storytelling, and lived experience.

Lives, Lands & Legacies is particularly resonant for contemporary audiences navigating questions of identity, migration, social justice, and collective responsibility, and offers strong potential for engagement across museums, galleries, heritage venues, educational institutions, and community spaces. The exhibition can be accompanied by artist talks, workshops, and learning programmes that encourage dialogue around history, empathy, and social change.

Coming soon.