Back in April, I reported on Ekow Nimako’s Journey of 2000 Ships exhibition as it made its way across Canada. In September, the show arrived in Oshawa, Ontario, and I decided to stop by on my way to Bricks in the Six this November. It was a slight detour off Highway 401 that caused me to miss my low-traffic window through Toronto — but it was worth it.
Longtime readers might remember that I interviewed Ekow Nimako back in 2023. If you’re new to the blog or unfamiliar with his work, Nimako is a Canadian artist who builds Afro-Futuristic fantasy sculptures exclusively out of black LEGO® bricks. Journey of 2000 Ships draws inspiration from the 14th-century story of Mansa Abu Bakr II, a ruler of the ancient Mali Empire. Legend tells that he abdicated the throne and set sail with 2,000 ships into the Atlantic, never to be heard from again. Nimako’s exhibit reimagines a fantastical conclusion to that legend.
The exhibition features six major works. Three represent ships:
- Wawa Aba, the Sunrise Dancer — a roughly 9,000-piece vessel that blends Technic and System elements into a sleek design capable of solar-powered nautical or aerial travel.
- Dame Dame — an 8,500-piece ship modeled after an East African fishing vessel meant to remain inconspicuous. In Nimako’s retelling, however, it serves as the research and intelligence vessel of Abu Bakr II’s fleet.
- Sepow — The Airship of Walatah belonging to an exiled Saharan queen turned pirate. Built from about 13,000 bricks, it’s as dramatic as its backstory.
Among the other builds, visitors can see Isla Ewi, Walatah’s Amazonian home built after her escape from Saharan authorities. This canyon-spanning metropolis was constructed from roughly 200,000 LEGO® elements and features towering statues guarding the canyon’s entrances.
Another highlight is The Bay of Banjul, the imagined site of Abu Bakr II’s abdication and the launch of his legendary voyage. This piece comprises around 120,000 bricks.
My favorite display was Asamando, the serpentine city marking the end of Abu Bakr II’s journey. The build honors African traditions of snake reverence. Each end of the piece features a wonderfully detailed viper head connected by intricate rockwork forming the city’s serpentine body. A canal flows along the snake’s back, lined with futuristic neighborhoods. The creative parts usage is especially impressive.
Overall, the exhibit is deeply inspiring. Nimako reimagines African legends with mythic, visionary endings, and each sculpture tells its story through both form and imagination. The placards offer tantalizing narrative fragments, while the builds themselves invite you to fill in the gaps. I could spend hours studying his work — not just for the building techniques, but for the worlds he evokes.
If you’re passing through Oshawa, I highly recommend a visit to The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Admission to Journey of 2000 Ships is free (donations welcome). I spent about an hour exploring the six models and took a casual walk through the rest of the gallery as well. Ekow Nimako’s work remains on display until February 2026.
Until next time,
– Tom
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