Repatriation. Relooted. Reclaim.

In a landmark move, the Netherlands has returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, one of the largest restitutions of looted African art in recent memory.

These masterpieces were taken in 1897 during the violent British invasion of the Benin Kingdom and held in Dutch institutions for over a century. Their return is more than symbolic; it’s a long-overdue step toward correcting a legacy of cultural theft.

But here’s the truth:

Thousands of African artefacts are still sitting in Western museums — behind glass, policy, and politics.

Enter Relooted, a new video game by South African video game developer Nyamakop, where players take on the role of a futuristic rebel reclaiming looted African artefacts from Western vaults. It’s bold, it’s creative, and it mirrors a global sentiment: return what was never yours to keep.

And while the virtual world reimagines restitution, the real world needs something simpler:

Why steal when you can buy directly from the artist?

At artdey, we connect you to the people who are still shaping the culture.

Painters. Sculptors. Visual disruptors.

No colonial middlemen. No dusty labels. Just pure, commissionable talent.

Collect something that wasn’t looted.

Pay someone who’s still breathing.