Nigerian photographer wins global recognition at 2026 MUSE Awards
His project was recognised for its storytelling, technical depth and exploration of Black interior life.
A Nigerian photographer based in the United Kingdom, Olamide Adegboye, has secured a Platinum award at the 2026 MUSE Photography Awards, earning recognition in a global competition that attracts entries from photographers across multiple countries.
Adegboye won in the Fine Art Photography Conceptual category for his project Ara Ní ń Rántí, Ẹ̀mí Ní ń Rí, a body of work that explores memory, spirituality, and identity within Black communities in the diaspora.
According to information published by the organisers, the award was determined by the International Awards Associate, which evaluates submissions based on creativity, technical execution, and narrative depth.
The organisers described Adegboye’s project as “an investigative journey into the Black interior life,” noting that it serves as “a visual record of the spiritual energy and memory held within the Diaspora community.” His compositions and storytelling were highlighted as key factors that distinguished the work among global entries.
The 2026 MUSE Photography Awards is an international competition that recognises excellence in photography across a range of categories, drawing participation from both emerging and established creatives.
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Reacting to the recognition, Adegboye said the award represents an important milestone, while emphasising that his work is rooted in long-term cultural documentation.
“Winning this award is a significant milestone, but my ultimate goal is to document these untold histories so they are preserved as a permanent part of our culture,” he said.
He described his practice as “Visual Stewardship,” framing his photography as a deliberate effort to preserve narratives that are often overlooked or underrepresented.
“I view my practice as a form of Visual Stewardship; it is a meticulous archival intervention that protects the spiritual cartography of the Black interior life,” Adegboye added.
His work focuses on themes of memory, spirituality, and identity within Black diaspora communities, using visual storytelling to document experiences that may not always be formally recorded.
The recognition adds to recent international visibility for Nigerian creatives working across visual arts and related disciplines, as more artists continue to present their work on global platforms.
Adegboye is scheduled to exhibit his work in London from May 15 to 20, 2026. The exhibition will feature a selection of his photography alongside a dialogue session with art critic Jean Wainwright, whose work is archived at the Tate.
The exhibition is expected to provide audiences with a deeper engagement with the themes that define his work, particularly around memory, spirituality, and identity within diaspora communities.
