Frida Orupabo's Collages Confront Colonial Archives and Black Female Representation
Frida Orupabo, a Norwegian-Nigerian artist, constructs photographic collages that interrogate the representation and sexuality of Black women, drawing from colonial archives, family albums, and film. She shares her insights on Instagram under the handle @nemipeba and cites influences such as Carrie Mae Weems and Grada Kilomba. Hailing from Sarpsborg, Norway, Orupabo reflects on her encounters with racism. Her solo exhibition, 'Things I saw at night,' is on display at Modern Art in London until 20 May 2023, and her work is also part of the Deutsche Börse exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery, London, until 11 June 2023. Her collages frequently incorporate metal tacks and evoke historical practices to challenge prevailing stereotypes.
Key facts
- Frida Orupabo is a Norwegian-Nigerian artist and sociologist creating photographic collages
- Her work uses images from colonial archives, film, fashion, and family albums
- Orupabo was nominated for the 2023 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize
- Her solo exhibition 'Things I saw at night' runs at Modern Art, London through 20 May 2023
- Her work is featured in the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery, London through 11 June 2023
- Orupabo references anthropometric photographs by Northcote W. Thomas from 1909-1915
- Her collages include metal tacks, resembling pantin dolls
- She engages with Christina Sharpe's book Ordinary Notes (2023) and Tina Campt's concept of the 'Black gaze'
Entities
Artists
- Frida Orupabo
- Grada Kilomba
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Kara Walker
- Nina Simone
- Billie Holiday
- Barbara Lynn
- Lucas Cranach the Elder
- Audre Lorde
- Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Northcote W. Thomas
- Louis Agassiz
- J. Marion Sims
- Anarcha
- Lucy
- Betsy
- Christina Sharpe
- Tina Campt
Institutions
- Modern Art
- The Photographers' Gallery
- Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation
- Louisiana Museum
- Stevenson Gallery
- Colonial Office
- British government
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Sarpsborg
- Norway
- Nigeria
- Cape Town
- South Africa
- West Africa
- United States
- Roman
- Europe
- Switzerland
- America