Karo Akpokiere
Born 1981, Lagos, Nigeria
High Life Generator Orchestra, 2013.
About:
Karo Akpokiere makes drawings inspired by the fast moving pop culture of Lagos, Nigeria. His work reflects experiences and observations garnered from life in one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Akpokiere has a strong aesthetic that is both nuanced and clever. His most recent works appropriate the language of religion, politics and advertising to comment on contemporary realities in West Africa. (websiteJackBellGalleryLondon)
Anointed Cutz, 2013.
“To be honest, I found out about Garth Walker and Ijusi magazine via Another Africa’s Facebook page. I absolutely love the work he creates and I intend to contribute a drawing for the upcoming Ijusi issue. Some other African Designers and Artists I admire are Peet Pienaar (South Africa), Saki Mafundikwa (Zimbabwe), Victor Ekpuk (Nigeria), Frédéric Bruly Bouabré (Ivory Coast), these are names that come to mind readily. I am also drawn to traditional African Art mostly because of the use of signs, symbols, motifs, patterns and repetition and geometric shapes.
I believe there are a lot of Artists doing excellent work on the continent but, one has to dig deep to find them and their work. Documentation isn’t a strong part of the culture and nature abhors a vacuum, so the foreign artists inspire because they are there, visible for most to see and be inspired by.
A friend and I had a conversation recently were we talked about how the advertising and Graphic Design from 70′s and 80′s Nigeria was more appealing, memorable compared to what’s been done now but, we also realised the designers behind those works are nowhere to be found, we don’t even know their names! Its as though a whole generation of Designers went underground.” (AnotherAfricaSiteJune2011)
