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Sometimes an artist's use of materials is in itself political, as in the case of Nnenna Okore. Born in Australia and raised in Nsukka, a town in southeastern Nigeria, she explores a range of artistic materials and influences, creating installations and sculptures made of clay and found as well as handmade paper. Her striking forms emphasize the art-making process and craftsmanship, while her reuse of materials subtly pits extravagant wealth (and waste) against creative adaptation of available materials by the less fortunate.
After studying painting at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Okore pursued advanced studies in sculpture at the University of Iowa. Over the past decade, she has had a number of solo exhibitions in Nigeria, at the October Gallery in London, and at a variety of university galleries across the United States. Her works have also appeared in a wide range of group exhibitions, including the 2006 Dakar Biennale in Senegal, the Joburg Art Fair in South Africa, and the São Paulo Biennial in Brazil in 2010, as well as a variety of art spaces in France, India, Mexico, and Taiwan.
Robert Preece: You use a rather rich range of materials in your work. How did this come about?
Nnenna Okore: My materials, which include paper, wool, sticks, and clay, are familiar, reusable objects from my immediate surroundings. When I work with a material, I set out to showcase its range of possibilities and textures and its new identity or meaning.
From a very tender age, I had a strong sensibility toward materials. Growing up in Nigeria really helped to develop my consciousness because I was exposed to a richly tactile, colorful, and vibrant atmosphere. For most people living in my vicinity, dilapidated adobe houses with zinc roofing, firewood piled up against broken structures, or people clad in ragged clothes were commonplace. But, for me, these scenes were bewildering and captivating. For some reason, I have always been drawn to what others might consider crude and unsightly settings. I was also enamored of the hilly and rugged Nsukka terrain, which possesses the most jarring vegetative landscapes. I am trapped in these memories, and my use of materials is a means to reflect my past and present experiences.
RP: Would you describe your approach...