Tomorrow I am Her
2022
2.5 x 3 feet
Crepe paper, lace fabric and acrylic on canvas
‘Fragmented beauty 1’
2021
3 x 3 feet
Crepe paper, lace fabric and acrylic on canvas
‘Alone in thoughts 2’
2021
3 x 3 feet
Crepe paper, lace fabric and acrylic on canvas
‘Alone in thoughts 1’
2021
3 x 3 feet
Crepe paper, lace fabric and acrylic on canvas
‘Am I Perfect?’
2021
3 x 3 feet
Crepe paper, lace fabric and acrylic on canvas
Michelle Okpare was raised between Nigeria and Ivory Coast. She received a B.A in Fine Arts from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Okpare draws inspiration from her personal experiences with people and how one responds psychologically to happenings. Her works are documentation of life, complexity, and emotions exploring culture, mental health, personal and societal identity, and issues surrounding gender in African contemporary society.
Okpare is an expressionist artist working predominantly using crepe paper and lace fabrics applique. Her usage of lace fabric is symbolic of her culture. Her choice of materials is attached to her childhood experience in Ivory Coast, where she grew up creating flowers on Mother’s Day. Employing collaging painting techniques, she produces richly textured paintings.
Okpare has participated in several exhibitions around the world including She Impressions, South Africa, 2019, Unusual Suspects, Nigeria, 2021. Her works have been featured on Sunday Times South Africa, Shoutout Los Angeles, Times Live South Africa, and Airmail News USA. She was documented on Google Arts and Culture, and awarded at the Online Art Project Turkey and The University of Florida Art in Medicine project in Nigeria. Okpare currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.