Susanne Wenger: One of Her Paintings

An oil painting by Susanne Wenger, a European artist who for many decades was synonymous with the town of Osogbo in Southwest Nigeria.
Susanne Wenger was already a successful international artist before she become Àdùnní Olórìṣà, the European-born devotee of the Ọ̀ṣun goddess who transformed the town of Òṣogbo forever. Born in Austria, Wenger lived in Osogbo from the late 1950s until her death in 2009, having left her indelible mark in helping to catapult the town to world renown. She had arrived in Ibadan in Nigeria with her then husband, Ulli Beier, in 1950. The couple later moved to Ede, then on to Ilobu, finally arriving in Òṣogbo. At Ede, Wenger met Obatala priest, Ajagẹmọ, who became her mentor and friend. She gained knowledge of the complexities and spiritual dimensions of Yorùbá religious traditions; she was first initiated as a priestess of Ọbàtálá, the deity of creation, and later into the Ògbóni and Ṣànpọ̀nná Societies. In Ìlóbùú, Àdùnní Olórìṣà, as she became known among the Yorùbá, learned to make Àdìrẹ (Tie-and-Dye). In 1957, Wenger and Beier moved into the now iconic three-storey Brazilian style house on Ìbòkun Road in Òṣogbo. The following year, a priest asked her to help restore the Idi Baba Shrine, which is not within the boundary of the Groves. This was the beginning of Wenger’s remarkable journey into the making of sacred art, her most important artistic achievement and legacy. She founded the New Sacred Art Movement, inspiring Yorùbá proteges to create enduring artworks reflecting their traditions. In more than 40 years of continuous work, Wenger and the New Sacred Art Movement created the sacred shrines and monumental sculptures that have made the Sacred Ọ̀ṣun Groves famous. She also played a vital role in getting the Groves enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.