Untitled (Roundabout)
- Artist: J.D. Okhai Ojeikere
- Date: 1974, printed 2012
- Medium: Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper
- Dimensions: image: 300 x 300 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the “Untitled (Roundabout)” by J.D. Okhai Ojeikere. The photograph was taken in 1974, and the silver gelatin print that you’re looking at was produced in 2012. Ojeikere was a Nigerian photographer who made a name for himself capturing everyday scenes in his homeland, and this image is a perfect example of his keen eye for detail and composition.
What catches the eye right away is the woman’s head: a dramatic hairstyle that frames her face in a way that feels both intimate and theatrical. The close‑up brings out the texture of her hair, the light on her skin, and the quiet confidence she holds. The title “Roundabout” hints at motion—perhaps the turning of a vehicle, or the circular rhythm of a dance, a subtle nod to the life outside the frame.
The piece is part of the “Nigerian Modernism” exhibition that runs through May 2026. It sits in the Tate Modern’s collection, acquired in 2013 with funds from the Acquisitions Fund for African Art, supported by Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. This photograph invites us to pause, look at the details, and consider the broader story of Nigerian modernity and the power of portraiture.
See it in person
Untitled (Roundabout) is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
