Karl Ohiri (born 1983, London) is British-Nigerian artist whose multifaceted practice combines personal experiences with societal observations to address wider themes around notions of family, identity and heritage.
He often draws on intimate autobiographical narratives and vernacular photographs to piece together fragments of his family album – as evident in works such as How To Mend a Broken Heart (2013). Other aspects of his conceptual practice incorporate his studies in visual culture and semiotics as seen in A Year In Protest (2018), a body of work that reflects on the act of protesting as a fundamental human right and personal necessity to express support or defiance.
Ohiri's works have been showcased internationally in venues and exhibitions that include the Venice Biennial, Reattu Museum, Southbank Centre, The Courtauld Gallery, Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery London. His works are represented in the Arts Council Collection, Wellcome Collection and The Rencontres d’Arles Collection.
You can follow the artist on Instagram, and see more of Ohiri's work on his website.
Images: Works from Karl Ohiri's commission Equation for Humanity, 2020. Digital Black & White Fiber-Based Gloss Prints, each 12 x 16 in. © and courtesy the artist. Commissioned by Autograph for Care | Contagion | Community – Self & Other: 1) US [detail], 2020. 2) I, 2020. 3) +, 2020. 4) U, 2020. 5) =, 2020. 6) US, 2020. 7) Archival clamshell box for housing the stones and photographic prints. Archival Box made by Riikka Kassinen / Designed by Riikka Kassinen & Karl Ohiri. Dimensions: L 53.8cm W 32.3 cm D 4.5 cm.
Other page images: 8) Karl Ohiri. Photograph by Riikka Kassinen.
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