African creativity, European innovation and sustainable mobility will converge in Milan next month as Artnovation and Hybrid Motors Nigeria Limited prepare to unveil ‘The Bridge of Motion,’ an artistic project exploring the intersection of art, electric vehicles, renewable energy and sustainable development.
The 17th work in Artnovation’s Thread of Continents series will be unveiled on September 16, 2026, during the opening of Echoes of Renaissance in the Hues of Africa at Fondazione Luciana Matalon in Milan.
Curated by Foluke Michael, Chief Curator of Artnovation, the project builds on the first 16 works in the series, which examined the evolving relationship between Africa and Europe through themes such as memory, encounter, trade, exchange and cooperation.
The latest installation takes the conversation into mobility, renewable energy, innovation and sustainable development. Its designation as the 17th work is deliberate, reflecting the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Michael described the project as a new chapter in the cultural and creative relationship between Africa and Europe.
‘The journey does not end at sixteen. No. 17 carries the story towards a new horizon, where ideas gather momentum, possibilities take shape, and the future begins to move,’ she said.
She explained that the project was not simply about showcasing a vehicle, but about examining what mobility could represent when creativity, renewable energy, innovation and sustainable development are brought together.
For Hybrid Motors, the initiative also provides an opportunity to explore international partnerships around sustainable mobility.
The company’s founder, Jubril Arogundade, said its ambition extends beyond vehicle development to creating sustainable and indigenous mobility solutions suited to West Africa while building stronger European technical, institutional and commercial partnerships.
‘The Milan unveiling marks the beginning of a conversation toward a potential sustainable Africa-Europe mobility partnership, where art helps us imagine what innovation can make possible,’ Arogundade said.
The collaboration builds on AfroItalian Renaissance, launched in partnership with the Italian Consulate General in Lagos in December 2025. What began as a cultural exchange has since expanded into a broader conversation around creativity, innovation, enterprise and shared economic opportunities.
Echoes of Renaissance in the Hues of Africa will open at a Milan museum at 5 p.m. CEST on September 16, with public viewing scheduled from September 17 to 29.
The exhibition poses a central question: What happens when Africa and Europe choose to design the future together?
For its creators, The Bridge of Motion represents a possible answer-using creativity as the bridge and sustainable mobility as the force driving a new phase of Africa-Europe collaboration.