// about us

CreatedbyChidiNwaubaniin2021,LOOTYisadynamicfusionofcreativityandtechnologythatsparksconversationsintheartworld,Web3,andbeyond.FromreclaimingseizedstolenartworkthroughinnovativeblockchainandNFTtechnologytocraftingbespoke3Dexperiences,LOOTYispioneeringnewportalstoenhanceaccessandeducation.EmpoweredbyInnovationandculturewhileembracingdisruption,settingthestageforafuturewhereart,tech,andimaginationuniteinunprecedentedways.
CreatedbyChidiNwaubaniin2021,LOOTYisadynamicfusionofcreativityandtechnologythatsparksconversationsintheartworld,Web3,andbeyond.FromreclaimingseizedstolenartworkthroughinnovativeblockchainandNFTtechnologytocraftingbespoke3Dexperiences,LOOTYispioneeringnewportalstoenhanceaccessandeducation.EmpoweredbyInnovationandculturewhileembracingdisruption,settingthestageforafuturewhereart,tech,andimaginationuniteinunprecedentedways.
CreatedbyChidiNwaubaniin2021,LOOTYisadynamicfusionofcreativityandtechnologythatsparksconversationsintheartworld,Web3,andbeyond.FromreclaimingseizedstolenartworkthroughinnovativeblockchainandNFTtechnologytocraftingbespoke3Dexperiences,LOOTYispioneeringnewportalstoenhanceaccessandeducation.EmpoweredbyInnovationandculturewhileembracingdisruption,settingthestageforafuturewhereart,tech,andimaginationuniteinunprecedentedways.
CreatedbyChidiNwaubaniin2021,LOOTYisadynamicfusionofcreativityandtechnologythatsparksconversationsintheartworld,Web3,andbeyond.FromreclaimingseizedstolenartworkthroughinnovativeblockchainandNFTtechnologytocraftingbespoke3Dexperiences,LOOTYispioneeringnewportalstoenhanceaccessandeducation.EmpoweredbyInnovationandculturewhileembracingdisruption,settingthestageforafuturewhereart,tech,andimaginationuniteinunprecedentedways.


LONDON DESIGN BIENNALE




2025


HONORARY MENTION


LONDON DESIGN BIENNALE



2025


HONORARY MENTION


LONDON DESIGN BIENNALE


2025


HONORARY MENTION


DIGITAL INNOVATION ART AWARD



2024

FINALIST


DIGITAL INNOVATION ART AWARD


2024

FINALIST


VENICE BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA



2023


SPECIAL PROJECTS


VENICE BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA


2023


SPECIAL PROJECTS

Featured in




Featured in


Our Terms and Conditions:

We Object to Objectification

To rewrite a narrative of cultural ownership, one artifact at a time. We believe the truth of history lies not just in objects, but in the voices that surround them.


We Object to Objectification

To rewrite a narrative of cultural ownership, one artifact at a time. We believe the truth of history lies not just in objects, but in the voices that surround them.






Continuity is at the core of LOOTY

Culture is not a static thing but an ever-changing, ever-evolving entity. We are constantly in conversation with our past (ancestors) and our future selves, shaping and being shaped by this ongoing dialogue.






Continuity is at the core of LOOTY

Culture is not a static thing but an ever-changing, ever-evolving entity. We are constantly in conversation with our past (ancestors) and our future selves, shaping and being shaped by this ongoing dialogue.






We Are a Disruption

LOOTY Museum challenges the status quo. By using technology to breathe life back into stolen artifacts, we spark conversations about colonialism's impact on cultures and environments.







We Are a Disruption

LOOTY Museum challenges the status quo. By using technology to breathe life back into stolen artifacts, we spark conversations about colonialism's impact on cultures and environments.







Beyond Exhibits, We Foster Action

Our interactive experiences empower visitors to become participants. We explore the stories behind the objects, igniting discussions about repatriation and cultural equity.







Beyond Exhibits, We Foster Action

Our interactive experiences empower visitors to become participants. We explore the stories behind the objects, igniting discussions about repatriation and cultural equity.







The Past Doesn't Define Us

We are not simply preserving history, we are shaping a future where voices can be reclaimed and legacies returned. Through collaboration and technology, we empower communities to reclaim their rightful place in the narrative.





The Past Doesn't Define Us

We are not simply preserving history, we are shaping a future where voices can be reclaimed and legacies returned. Through collaboration and technology, we empower communities to reclaim their rightful place in the narrative.

Meet the Minds of LOOTY

Chidi Nwaubani

Creator & visionary


Chidi Nwaubani is an acclaimed artist, featured at the 2023 Venice Biennale, and the founder of LOOTY, a collective focused on the digital repatriation of stolen cultural artifacts. Through what he terms "digital heists," he uses AR and 3D scanning to challenge colonial narratives and democratize access to heritage. His work explores the power of technology to resurrect histories and foster new models of community-based creation.


Through LOOTY, he orchestrated what he playfully terms "digital heists," infiltrating the Western museums armed with LiDAR scanners and a fervent belief in the power of technology to right historical wrongs. These scans birth detailed 3D models of artefacts – the Benin Bronzes, the Rosetta Stone – which then become the DNA for NFTs and AR/ VR experiences that defy the very notion of ownership and repatriation.

Nwaubani's practice is intrinsically linked to the decoloniality movement, critiquing the Eurocentric focus on aesthetic beauty and historical injustices. Nwaubani's visionary contributions have garnered international recognition, including a Webby Award and features in prominent publications such as the BBC, Reuters, and Frieze. As a member of Snapchat 's Lens Creator Network, he experiments with XR/AR to redefine art and create captivating experiences.


Chidi Nwaubani is an acclaimed artist, featured at the 2023 Venice Biennale, and the founder of LOOTY, a collective focused on the digital repatriation of stolen cultural artifacts. Through what he terms "digital heists," he uses AR and 3D scanning to challenge colonial narratives and democratize access to heritage. His work explores the power of technology to resurrect histories and foster new models of community-based creation.

Through LOOTY, he orchestrated what he playfully terms "digital heists," infiltrating the Western museums armed with LiDAR scanners and a fervent belief in the power of technology to right historical wrongs. These scans birth detailed 3D models of artefacts – the Benin Bronzes, the Rosetta Stone – which then become the DNA for NFTs and AR/ VR experiences that defy the very notion of ownership and repatriation.

Nwaubani's practice is intrinsically linked to the decoloniality movement, critiquing the Eurocentric focus on aesthetic beauty and historical injustices. Nwaubani's visionary contributions have garnered international recognition, including a Webby Award and features in prominent publications such as the BBC, Reuters, and Frieze. As a member of Snapchat 's Lens Creator Network, he experiments with XR/AR to redefine art and create captivating experiences.


BOOK A CALL

Ahmed Abokor

Creative Director & Communiity manager

As the creative director and co-founder of Looty, Ahmed embarked on his Looty journey at the inaugural heist at the British Museum. His goal is to cultivate a global community through innovative practices. Inspired by his profound love for African culture and the global Black community, Ahmed's creative vision has made an impact in the industry. His portfolio boasts collaborations with major brands such as Nike and Spotify showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend cultural authenticity with cutting-edge innovation. Beyond his roles at Looty, Ahmed is the founder and creative director of the design studio AOK. His position as a D&AD judge demonstrates his commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering excellence in design. With features on creative platforms like "It's Nice That," Ahmed's work continues to captivate and inspire audiences.

As the creative director and co-founder of Looty, Ahmed embarked on his Looty journey at the inaugural heist at the British Museum. His goal is to cultivate a global community through innovative practices. Inspired by his profound love for African culture and the global Black community, Ahmed's creative vision has made an impact in the industry. His portfolio boasts collaborations with major brands such as Nike and Spotify showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend cultural authenticity with cutting-edge innovation. Beyond his roles at Looty, Ahmed is the founder and creative director of the design studio AOK. His position as a D&AD judge demonstrates his commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering excellence in design. With features on creative platforms like "It's Nice That," Ahmed's work continues to captivate and inspire audiences.

Selected Group Exhibitions

Selected

Group Exhibitions

Mesh Festival, Basel, Switzerland, 2024


ART DUBAI, Dubai, UAE, 2024


NFT PARIS, Paris, France, 2024


SOMETHING ART SPACE, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2024


LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA - THE LABORATORY OF THE FUTURE - MNEMONIC, Venice, Italy, 2024


AFTERIMAGE VOL. 3 | VIRTUAL PRESENTATION, The University of Columbia, USA, 2024


KRYPTOMANIA, THE ZEPPELIN MUSEUM, Friedrichshafen, Germany, 2023


COMMUNICATING THE ARTS, National Gallery Singapore, 2023


CARRIE MAE WEEMS CONVENING, Brown University Arts Institute, USA, 2023


1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR, London, UK, Somerset House, 2023


TURBINE FESTIVAL, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2023


MILELE MUSEUM, Kigali, Rwanda, Goethe Institut, 2023


NON-FUNGIBLE CASTLE, Prague, Czech Republic, 2022


MAISON DU LUMINAIRXE, Lagos, Nigeria G.A.S Foundation, 2022






Press & Publications

Press &

Publications

Isabel Hufschmidt: Museums & Social Issues, A Journal of Reflective Discourse, 2024

Greg Lindsay: The Augmented C ity: Seeing Through Disruption. 2024


Kateryna Reshetniak: Biennale Architektury. 2023


Amah-Rose Abrams: Meet Looty, a New Project That Infiltrates Museums, Makes NFTs From Stolen Objects, and Sells Them to Fund Young African Artists: Artnet, 2022.


Dan Hicks: How NFTs and 3D Printing Are Changing Restitution. Frieze. 2020


Boodle Hatfield, Art Law & More: New NFTs of looted African art released. 2019


Forbes By AFPRELAXNEWS: Can NFTs help reclaim Africa's looted cultural heritage? 2022


Collections Natural Science .be : Meet Looty, a New Project That Infiltrates Museums, Makes NFTs From Stolen Objects, and Sells Them to Fund Young African Artists.2024


The New Yorker by Chantel Tattoli : A High-Tech Heist at the British. 2023


Art Newspaper by Aimee Dawson: Can location-specific digital technologies help to resolve debates on restitution?.2024


Noemamag: The Artists Digitally Liberating Colonial Plunder. 2024


The Guardian by Alex Durie: ‘Can you steal back something that’s already stolen?’: how radical art duo Looty repatriated the Rosetta Stone. 2024


BBC News: Nigeria's Looty seeks to reclaim African art in digital form.2022


The New York Times online & print:A ‘Digital Heist’ Recaptures the Rosetta Stone.2023


ARTnews By Shanti Escalante-De Mattei :This NFT Project Offers ‘Digital Restitution’ for Looted African Art. 2022


Jing Daily Culture by Min Chen: With Looty, The Case For Digital Repatriation Gains A New Ally: NFTs


CNN : ‘Looty’: How a dog stolen from China sparked a British luxury craze.2023


Reuters Reporting by Angela Ukomadu and Estelle Shirbon, editing by Ed Osmond
: 'Looty' project launches digital art heists to reclaim African artifacts. 2022


Futurism Art Plundered From Africa Stolen Back, Sold as NFTs. 2022


MuseumNext: Museums and NFTs: what’s the opportunity, who’s doing it best and why question marks remain


Outland by Samuel Reilly : Meaningful Returns. 2022









Talks & Workshop

RCA, London, United Kingdom, 2024


Battle for the Museums: Fighting Back Against Cultural Colonialism, London, United Kingdom, 2024


Communicating the Arts, The Louvre, Paris, France, 2024


CULTURES OF RESTITUTION, The University of Chicago, USA, 2024

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