Born in Austria, Susanne Wenger moved to Nigeria in the 1950s, where she became deeply integrated into the local Yoruba community and was initiated as a priestess. Her artistic practice evolved through her commitment to the spiritual traditions of the region, leading her to establish an artist cooperative that fostered a unique synthesis of modern and traditional Yoruba aesthetics.

Wenger is best known for her extensive redevelopment of the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage site. She worked alongside local artists to create large-scale sculptures, carvings, and architectural structures that depict the activities and mythology of the Orishas, utilizing materials such as concrete, mud, and wood.

Her legacy continues to be recognized within the broader context of Nigerian modernism. Recent institutional interest, including upcoming surveys of Nigerian art at the Tate Modern, highlights her significant contribution to the development of 20th-century artistic production in West Africa.