“Mama, Mummy and Mamma (Predecessors #2)” is a genre painting created by Njideka Akunyili Crosby in 2014 as part of the Postcolonial art movement. The artwork depicts an intricate domestic scene through a layered and collage-like technique, characteristic of Crosby’s unique style.
The artwork portrays a contemplative woman leaning over a table laden with various household items, including utensils, pots, and framed pictures. The background reveals a collage of cut-out images that speaks to a cultural and historical narrative, merging personal and communal memory. The composition utilizes a rich palette dominated by shades of pink, which contrast with the realistic rendering of the woman and the still-life elements on the table. The scene invites viewers to reflect on themes of identity, family, and memory, drawing on the artist’s Nigerian heritage and experience of diaspora.
