“It starts at the reception and then continues right the way through to the doctor’s surgery,” says Ngozi Ajah Schommers, speaking about discrimination against women and people of colour in the German health system. “It is not just down to racism but class too, and not being able to speak the language.”
In paintings, sketches, sculptures and installations, the Nigerian-German artist’s upcoming exhibition at the Deutscher Künstlerbund, I’m sorry, I can’t help you addresses the deeply-rooted prejudices that exist in Germany’s medical care facilities. “It’s totally dehumanising,” she continues. “You’re immediately treated like you’re different and people don’t realise how difficult it is for a non-German to walk into a space like that.”
One day, you’ll meet someone who is ready to help.
Born in Nigeria, Schommers moved to Germany after meeting her German husband in Lagos in her early twenties. “I moved here because of love, though he actually prefers being in Africa.” Living between Nigeria and Germany has given Schommers a unique perspective on issues of identity, equality and colonialism. One of her most recognised series of works features hanging sculptures inspired by pre-colonial Igbo hairstyles. Connecting to past and present identities of Igbo women, these artificial recreations of Igbo hair honour both her community and her Nigerian ancestry whilst rejecting the harmful impacts of colonial culture on African hair.
Schommers’ work has gained notable recognition in Germany, and this year, she received the HAP Grieshaber-Preis der VG Bild-Kunst along with €25,000 prize money. “Winning was mind-blowing,” she says. “Having my art shown in Deutscher Künstlerbund means everything to me, and the financial support allows me to keep going.”
I’ve always wanted my materials to move freely, even when I’m not there.
An important theme in her work is the idea of ‘care’, highlighting the experiences of women who are often overlooked or marginalised. With regards to her upcoming exhibition, she hopes it encourages empowerment in situations where one might feel diminished. “One day, you’ll meet someone who is ready to help,” she adds.
That sense of empowerment is a constant presence in her work and included in the exhibition will be her confetti paintings, created from layering the perforated leftovers from recycled packaging. These works, assembled in a collage-like, quasi-pointillist technique, challenge Western painting traditions by embracing a vibrant and deeply laborious approach that plays with exoticised notions of African art. “For years, I felt like people didn’t understand my work or wanted to control what African art should be. I’ve always wanted my materials to move freely, even when I’m not there.”
- ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you’, Dec 13 2024 – March 21 2025, Deutscher Künstlerbund, Markgrafenstr. 67, Kreuzberg, details.
