Jesus of Lübeck

Jesus of Lübeck places painted boxes inside a blue fisherman’s canoe. Made with the lagoon community of Ilaje in Lagos, the vessel carries Adire patterns and the familiar faces from Ken’s Journey Mercies installation.

The title refers to a sixteenth-century ship associated with the transatlantic slave trade. Ken brings that history into conversation with present-day journeys across water, including the dangerous routes taken by people seeking safety or opportunity. The suspended canoe asks us to consider who is made to travel, under what conditions, and at what cost.

First shown at Retro Africa Gallery in Abuja, the installation is now in the collection of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Lagos. Made with assistance from Seyi Alabi and support from Retro Africa Gallery.