A sweeping survey of Peju Alatise’s sculptural and narrative worlds opens in Pittsburgh, blending Yoruba cosmology with contemporary womanist expression.
Pittsburgh, PA — The August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC) will present the first U.S. solo survey of renowned Nigerian artist Peju Alatise, opening Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 980 Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. Titled I Will Belong to Only Me, the exhibition spans two decades of Alatise’s practice, tracing her evolution into one of the most compelling interdisciplinary voices in contemporary African art.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and trained in architecture at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Peju Alatise creates immersive worlds that merge structure and spirit. Drawing upon Yorùbá cosmology and myth, she transforms materials such as resin, glass beads, and textile into lyrical meditations on womanhood, spirituality, and belonging. Her celebrated installation Flying Girls (2015–16), which depicts a group of young girls suspended in midair, anchors the exhibition—a poignant vision of freedom inspired by the story of a 10-year-old domestic servant who dreams of flight. Across her practice, Alatise marries structural precision with poetic imagination, addressing themes of gender inequality, social justice, and the lingering effects of globalization.
“Through her fearless storytelling and architectural command of form, Peju Alatise invites us to reconsider how Black womanhood and spirituality inhabit space,” said Janis Burley, President and CEO/Artistic Director of AWAACC. “Her work reflects a deep understanding of how art can transcend boundaries to connect us to our shared humanity.”
I Will Belong to Only Me will remain on view through May 31, 2026 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Tickets are now available at https://awaacc.org/exhibition/i-will-belong-to-only-me/.
ABOUT AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a nonprofit cultural organization located in Pittsburgh’s cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson.
One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 100,000 visitors locally and nationally.
Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today.
Major support for AWAACC’s operations is provided by Richard King Mellon Foundation, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Heinz Endowments, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). AWAACC’s programming is made possible by generous support from its donors. For a complete list, visit our website: awaacc.org