Traces of the Non-Existent, Ebun Sodipo

At the heart of Traces of the Non-Existent is the figure of Vitoria – a 16th-century Black trans woman who was enslaved and defied European conceptions of gender and the body. Through an assemblage of historical fragments and imagined futures, Sodipo reclaims and reconfigures Black trans narratives, inviting audiences to engage with histories that have been silenced or erased. Visitors will encounter objects that transport them into a recognisable yet fabulated past, where Black trans voices empower, rage, laugh, unite, and persist in the face of ongoing injustices. Moving beyond the limits of historical documentation, Sodipo speculates on alternative futures, envisioning worlds where Black trans lives are empowered, connected, and celebrated. At the core of Sodipo’s practice is a commitment to creating for those who will come after – Black trans people of the future. Her work, rooted in Black feminist study, investigates the construction of a Black trans-feminine self in the aftermath of slavery and colonialism. Using collage and fabulation as key methodologies, the artist reimagines the body, desire, archives, and history, offering a profound reflection on identity and existence. About the artist Ebun Sodipo was featured in Frieze’s ‘Ten Artists to Watch in 2025’ and has exhibited at notable galleries and institutions, including recent solo exhibitions Nasty Girl (The Sharpest Girl in Town) at V.O Curations, London (2023) and The Edge Sheen of a Cut at VITRINE Gallery, Basel (2023). Her work has also appeared in group exhibitions at Hauser & Wirth, Somerset (2024); Neven Gallery, London (2024); and FACT, Liverpool (2022), among others. Traces of the non-existent is kindly supported by the Henry Moore Foundation, Patrick Holmes, and the Portsmouth Pride Trust, and is presented as part of the UK Pride 2025 programme in Portsmouth. Following the exhibition at Aspex, Traces of the Non-Existent will continue as part of a nationwide project with BUILDHOLLYWOOD. The exhibition will travel to Brighton during Trans Pride and Pride 2025, and to Birmingham Pride 2025, continuing its legacy through a national billboard campaign.