ebere agwuncha
ebere agwuncha (she/they) is an Igbo-American craftsperson and educator born and based in Chicago. Their practice embodies the histories of various Igbo (an ethnic group of Nigeria) sites, objects, architectures, paying homage to the traditional collective crafting practice of Nigerian women. Her craftwork appears as softly domestic through intimate installations that immerse the viewer with functional objects, wall sculptures, video projection, and interactive ritualized portals to their ancestors. They are known for creating precise sculptures with art techniques including ceramics, woodworking, reed basket weaving, cane wrapping, jute fish netting, horsehair re-rooting, and willow weaving.
In 2025, ebere started the program woven together, a free basket weaving workshop offering, celebrating the collective memory of hands and craft practices that Igbo-Nigerian women have and continue to steward. ebere completed the Writer-in-Residence Program at Writing Space (Chicago), BOLT Residency at Chicago Artist Coalition (Chicago), ACRE Residency (Wisconsin), Soaring Gardens Artist Retreat (Pennsylvania), and the Starlight Artist Residency at Aao Mil Baithen with Spaceshift Collective (Chicago). ebere has done collective work with In Care of Black Women as a collaborator (Chicago), Tanda of Chuquimarca Projects (Chicago), More Than Monoliths with The Buxton Initiative (Ames, Iowa), Mobilize! Creative Blocks Collective Dreams on the Design Build Team (Chicago), and Alt_ as a Designer in Residence (Chicago).
ebere’s artwork has been exhibited nationally including solo exhibitions across Chicago at Roman Susan Gallery, Chicago Artists Coalition, and Comfort Station. She has shown work in group exhibitions at Uri-Eichen Gallery, Chicago Art Department, Chicago Artist Coalition, EXPO Chicago, Buddy at the Chicago Cultural Center, Bronzeville Winery, The Silver Room Block Party Design Pavillion, and Breathing Room Garden. ebere completed a major public art installation titled ode to rhumboogie on the Arts Lawn with Arts + Public Life in the summer of 2025. ebere was the inaugural Artist-in-Exchange for a semester with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Sculpture Department and then completed a semester teaching as a Visiting Lecturer for Knowledge Lab: Craft Ecologies.
ebere received a Bachelor of Industrial Design degree from Iowa State University (2019). They have received awards for their work including a Research and Development Grant from Ignite Fund (2022), Spark Grant from Chicago Artist Coalition (2022), and Make a Wave Grant Award from 3Arts (2022).
woven together, 2025
Image by Photo Credit Lyric Newbern
Featured Artworks
woven together, 2025
Workshop series at Arts + Public Life
Photo Credit Lyric Newbern
soft structures
Solo exhibition at Chicago Artist Coalition, 2024
Photo Credit Lyric Newbern
soft structures - basket weaving workshop
Photo Credit Lyric Newbern
Chicago Artist Coalition, 2024
owoko
Solo exhibition at Comfort Station, 2022
Photo Credit ebere agwuncha
Teen Arts Showcase
Arts and Public Life, 2023
Teen Arts Showcase
Arts and Public Life, 2023