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Nnenna Okore |
( Nigeria )
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 Nnenna Okore’s art is inspired by the use of discarded and found objects in rural areas of her native Nigeria. Her work, by virtue of these influences, celebrates the transformation of discarded materials into cultural objects, forms, and spaces and brings a critical focus to bear on the consumption and recycling cultures in parts of Nigeria. Her materials include newspapers, wax, cloth, rope, clay and sticks and she applies various repetitive and labor-intensive techniques, like weaving, twisting, sewing, dyeing, waxing and rolling, which were learned by watching villagers perform everyday tasks. These processes accentuate colors, textures and other visceral qualities of her sculptures.
Exhibitions
Ulukububa - Infinite Flow
Angaza Afrika - African Art Now |
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Nnenna Okore
| Education |
| 2005 |
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M.F.A Sculpture, Universityof Iowa, USA |
| 2004 |
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M.A Sculpture, University of Iowa, USA |
| 1999 |
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B.A Painting, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria |
| Selected solo exhibitions |
| 2001 |
| Metaphors, Alternative space, Lagos, Nigeria, Curator: Bisi Silver, London. |
| 2002 |
| Beyond the Lines, Didi Museum, Lagos, Nigeria. |
| 2003 |
| Re-presented, Armature Gallery, University of Iowa. |
| 2004 |
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Accumulations, Arts Iowa City, Iowa City, IA. Curator: Elise Kendrot, Iowa. |
| 2005 |
| Paper to Paper, Armature Art Gallery, University of Iowa |
| 2006 |
| Trans-figuration, Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery, Moraine Valley Community College, Illinois. |
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| Betwixt and Between, Carlson Gallery, North Park University, Chicago. |
| 2007 |
| Sub-consciousness, Adam Hall Gallery, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. |
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| Reflection, Contemporary African Art Gallery, New York City |
| 2008 |
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Moonlight Tales, Tall Grass Association, Park Forest, Illinois |
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Ulukububa - Infinite Flow, October Gallery, London. |
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Affrika West, Oriel Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno, Wales. |
| 2009 |
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Of Earth…Bark and topography, Goethe Institut, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria |
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Twisted Ambience, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago |
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Anyanwu, Carl A. Fields Center Gallery, Princeton University, NJ |
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Strings and Patterns, Viberto University Gallery, La Crosse, WI |
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Common Thread, Bekris Gallery, CA |
| Selected group exhibitions |
| 2001 |
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New Energies, Nimbus Gallery and Mydrim Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria Curator: Prof. El Anatsui, University of Nigeria |
| 2002 |
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New Works, Armature Gallery, University of Iowa. Curator: Thomas Aprile, Professor of Art, University of Iowa. |
| 2003 |
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Units, Legion Arts CSPS, Cedar Rapids, IA. Curator: Isabel Barbuzza, Professor of Sculpture, University of Iowa. |
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Migrations, Legion Arts CSPS, Cedar Rapids, IA. Curator: Mel Andringa, Executive Director, Legion Arts. |
| 2005 |
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8th International Open Exhibition, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL. Juror, Lynne Warren, Curator at MCA |
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Twelfth SOFA International Exposition, Chicago. |
| 2006 |
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African Contemporary Art Exhibition, Dakar Biennale, Senegal. |
| 2008 |
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Trading Spaces, Binghamton University, New York |
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Jo'burg Art Fair, (sponsored by October Gallery) Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, SA. |
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Refabrication, by Nnenna Okore, Linda Gordon, and Kirstin Demer. Carlson Gallery, North Park University. |
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Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, New York City |
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Resonance, Tall Grass Association, Park Forest, Illinois. 2008 |
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Channel4 Art Exhibition, Channel4/Art4 Gallery, London. 2008 |
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Affrika West,Galeri Artspace, Caernarfon, Wales. |
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Afganza Africa, October Gallery, London |
| 2009 |
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Trace/Memory, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL |
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Object of A Revolution, Galerie Dominique Fait, Paris |
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Chance Encounters, Sakshi Gallery, India |
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Transvangarde, October Gallery, London |
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Paper to Pulp, HC Center for the Arts, Ellicott City, MD, USA |
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Trash Menagerie, Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, USA |
| Grants / Awards / Residences |
| 2008 |
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North Park University Project Grant.. |
| 2007 |
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Residency at Instituto Rural de Arte Hoz del Jucar, Spain. |
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Artist Full Fellowship at Global Art Village, Delhi, India. |
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Residency at Skowhegan Schoo; of Painting and Sculpture, Maine, USA |
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UNESCO - Ashberg Fellowship for Artists, Gruber Jez Foundation, Mexica |
| 2006 |
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Red Gate Residency, Beijing, China. |
| 2005 |
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North Park University Project Grant. |
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SFAI Residency, Santa Fe Art Institute, NM. |
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Graduate Assistantship, University of Iowa. |
| 2004 |
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Emma McAllister Novel Scholarship, University of Iowa, USA |
| 1999 |
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Valedictorian (Fine Arts), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. |
| 1994 |
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First prize, UNIFEM Women’s Art Contest, Lagos, Nigeria. |
| 1993 |
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First prize, UNICEF African Child’s Day Art Contest, Mbabane, Swaziland. |
| Selected bibliography |
| 2001 |
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The Real Values Beyond the Tags, by Okechukwu Uwaezuoke, The Comet |
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New Energies, rebellion against the old, by Ozolua Uhakheme, The Guardian |
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The Metaphors of Today, by Victor Ikwele, National Interest |
| 2002 |
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Plenty Art Shows, lean Patrons, by Chukka Nnabuife, The Guardian |
| 2003 |
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Chasing the Paper Trails with Vision, by Vidya Murthy, Daily Iowan |
| 2005 |
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8th International Open, Exhibition Announcement by Woman Made Gallery |
| 2006 |
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As Dak’art Beckons, by Ugochukwu Uwaerzuoke, This Day |
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The Yam is King, by Obi Nwakama, Farafina Magazine, No. 7 |
| 2007 |
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Mind Openers-Women Artist in Africa, by Barbara Murray, Farafina Magazine, No 8 |
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Nnenna Okore NY Exhibition, by Slvester Ogbechie, AACHRONYM, October 31 |
| 2008 |
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Using Old Materials to Put a New Face on the Museum, by Roberta Smith, New York Times, September 26, 2008. |
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Introduction: Ulukububa-Infinite Flow, by Polly Savage, Exhibition Catalogue, London, Oct 16-Dec 6, 2008, |
| 2009 |
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Ulukububa: Infinite Flow, by Bunmi Akpata-Ohohe, Africa Today, December 3, 2008 |
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Studio Visit with Nnenna Okore: Art from Discarded and Found Things, by Molara Wood, Next, February 08, 2009. |
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Artist to Watch: Nnenna Okore, by Katy Donoghue, Whitewall Magazine, Spring Issue, 2009. |
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Art of Africa, by Simon de Burton, The Financial Times, March 28, 2009. |
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African Art At Bonhams by Julian Roup, Bonhams Headlines, March 2009. |
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Groundbreaking African Artists In Spotlight At First British Auction Of Contemporary |
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Okore, Enwonwu, Onabrakpeya, Anatsui, Kentridge others in London's art auction, by Chuka Nnabuife and Emmanuel Agozino, Nigerian Compass, April 7, 2009. |
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