Mama, In Your Absence

June 5th – 21st, 2025

Opening Reception: June 6th, 2025, 6-9 PM

Mama, In Your Absence is an interactive web documentary exploring the literary legacy of my grandmother, Flora Nwapa: the first African woman to publish a novel in English. Through archival materials, narrative letters, mixed-media manipulated diaristic footage, and interactive storytelling, the project reflects on Flora’s legacy in relation to the creative careers of myself, my mother and my sister. This intergenerational dialogue becomes a reflection of the way Igbo women’s stories are preserved, erased or reimagined. By weaving together personal and collective narratives, it challenges traditional archival practices and static portrayals of African women’s legacies, exploring how digital media can bridge past and present to foster an evolving dialogue on legacy and identity.

Muna Nzeribe