Unfurling across the nearly 300-foot-long gallery of Barbican’s The Curve is an epic cycle of 40 new monumental portraits executed in pastel, charcoal, and chalk that explore an imagined ancient myth conceived by Ojih Odutola. Set within a surreal landscape inspired by the rock formations of Plateau State in central Nigeria, the works depict the tale of a fictional prehistoric civilization dominated by female rulers and served by male laborers, investigating the power dynamics at play. A soundscape by Peter Adjaye fills the surroundings.