The Chelsea College of Arts Fine Art Graduating Class of 2026 degree show showcased an exceptional collection of work, highlighted by Amebo—the striking debut sculptural installation by Amarachi.

In Nigerian Pidgin, Amebo typically refers to a busybody, eavesdropper, or gossip. Amarachi’s installation boldly reclaims the term, transforming a dismissive label into a vital civic duty: one of active listening, radical vigilance, and the obligation to witness history as it unfolds—and to act upon it.

At the core of the work is a collection of morphing lizards, evoking traditional materiality and the historical preservation of the Benin Bronzes. Upon closer inspection, these lizards feature exaggerated, caricature-like heads that carry an unsettling sense of familiarity. For Amarachi, the lizard embodies displacement, repositioning, and viewing the world through unfamiliar perspectives—a necessary posture in a modern cultural climate that so often curates our thoughts on our behalf.

The installation expands seamlessly into interactive storytelling. The exhibition publication, rendered in bold pink in the background of the site's homepage, rests atop a sculpted hand protruding directly from the wall. Crafted from the same canvas, it fuses painting with traditional batik techniques to act as a physical extension of the artwork itself. It is symbolic of the kola nut (ọjị), in Igbo culture, it is a sacred ritual that symbolises hospitality, peace, unity, and community. Embedded within the fabric publication is an NFC tag; tapping a smartphone against it immediately connects the viewer to an accompanying blog and curated playlist. This is revealed as you unravel the fabric.

Ultimately, Amebo asserts that a shared truth is essential to keeping the social fabric from unravelling. By bridging the hyper-awareness of the lizard with the radical "soft violence" of historical figures like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the piece elevates the Amebo—the witness—into an indispensable guardian of truth, science, and collective memory. It stands as a vital reminder to always preserve our collective resistance.