Chidi Nwaubani is a Nigerian-British artist based between London and Dubai, known for pioneering work at the intersection of art, technology, and cultural reclamation. His practice challenges conventional art paradigms through innovative digital repatriation initiatives, reclaiming lost narratives and resurrecting histories from museums around the world.
As the founder of LOOTY.art, Nwaubani orchestrates “digital heists,” using LiDAR scanners to infiltrate museum spaces and create detailed 3D models of artefacts such as the Benin Bronzes and the Rosetta Stone. These digital assets become the foundation for NFTs and immersive AR/VR experiences, pushing the boundaries of ownership, restitution, and global access to cultural heritage. By crafting bespoke installations and interventions, he empowers fellow artists, democratizes cultural access, and sparks critical conversations within the art world, the Web3 community, and beyond.
Deeply embedded in the decoloniality movement, his work critiques Eurocentric approaches to art history and questions established ideas of beauty and ownership. Nwaubani’s impact has been recognized globally, earning him prestigious accolades at Venice Biennale 2023, and coverage in major outlets such as BBC, Reuters, and Frieze Magazine.
He is an active member of Snapchat’s Lens Creator Network, where he explores new possibilities in Augmented Reality, and has been featured in the African Futures Institute’s “Pinpoint” archive, which celebrates top innovators from Africa and the diaspora. As a speaker, Nwaubani has contributed to international platforms such as the Doha Debates, sharing his vision for a future where art lives outside the confines of museums, empowers communities, and serves as a tool for reclaiming identity.
Nwaubani’s work conjures worlds where the past becomes a living force, igniting new possibilities for art and collective empowerment. Through technology and creativity, he invites us to reimagine cultural ownership and to reclaim our stories
