Kelvin Okafor

Kelvin Okafor (born 1 November 1985)[1] is a British artist of Nigerian descent. He grew up in Tottenham, London. [2]

From as early as he could remember, Kelvin Okafor has always been an emotional and highly sensitive individual. Inspired, touched and captivated by almost everything in his immediate surroundings. Around the age of 8, Okafor vividly remembers having a love and strong fascination for drawing with pencils. He found the instrument to be a humble one and would often use the expression 'aliveness' to describe it's technical and sentimental value. What fascinated him most about pencils was that with single shades of lead, he could create tones and textures so defined and so abstract, an illusion of colour would be formed before him. He became heavily inspired by this notion and spent most of his early years trying to utilise its technical use.

Okafor was educated at St Ignatius' College in Enfield, where at the age of 15 he began to hone his talent for drawing.[3] During his studies at St Ignatius' College, at the age of 15 Kelvin Okafor started to recognise his talent in art due to the complimentary expressions he got from his peers and teachers. Kelvin Okafor works at ease in any artistic medium be it sculpture, glass, printmaking, painting and casting. For him to passionately fall in love with art he firstly fell in love with using pencils and how pencils gave him the flexibility to create dynamic textures and tones of colours in his drawings.[4]

Kelvin undertook a Foundation Art & Design course at City and Guilds Art School (2005–06), and went on to study at Middlesex University (2006–09), graduating with a BA degree in Fine Art.[5] Awards he has won include the Catherine Petitgas Visitors Choice Prize, part of the National Open Art Competition.[6] Kelvin later returned to Middlesex University [7] to gift an original drawing entitled 'Mia's Interlude'. Middlesex University also unveiled their 'Made in Middlesex: Kelvin Okafor' display to inspire other students from the university.

Award winning artist [8] , Kelvin Okafor, specialises hyper-realistic portrait drawings of ordinary people and celebrities. His work is often mistaken for photographs due to their incredible detail and likeness to reality.[9] Early pieces includes portraits of Amy Winehouse, Mother Teresa, Lauryn Hill, Jamal, Nelson Mandela, Beyoncé, Daniel Craig, Corinne Bailey Rae, Rihanna and Tinie Tempah.[10] In 2017, Kelvin Okafor also became the first black artist to be permanently exhibited in the House of Commons with his pencil portrait of Bernie Grant. [11]

The style in which Okafor creates his portraits is known as Hyper-realism. Art Critic, Estelle Lovatt describes his work as 'Emotional Realism'. She mentions how the work of Okafor goes beyond being just ‘Photorealist’ drawings, and instead coins the term Emotional Realism to describe the affective nature of his artwork.

Artist Statement:

"I love to draw faces. Each face to me tells an intriguing story regardless of age, gender, race or background. In the process of putting pencil to paper, I begin by drawing in sections/stages. Since I was a child I have always created drawings this way. I visually dissect facial features - I study them and then I put them back together like pieces in a puzzle. This method of creating helps me understand expressions and also helps me appreciate the lengthy process each portrait drawing takes.”

Recent Work:

More recently Kelvin's celebrity work has included a portrait of the late musician John Lennon, which was an integral part of his 2019 Exhibition 'Retrospective' [12] where he unveiled the portrait to the general public. It was this exhibition which showcased some of Okafor's work during a 10 year period. [13] Furthermore, in early 2020, Kelvin unveiled his portrait of model Winnie Harlow in support of her charity for vitiligo.

When Kelvin has time between his celebrity work or private commissions, he also continues to develop his personal portfolio, such as the continuing portraits of his model, Mia, whom he has been drawing every two years since she was three.

Prince Unveiling:

Kelvin Okafor astounded supporters with his release of his portrait of the late musician Prince. The original reference photo he used for this piece was completely transformed by his choice to open Prince's eyes in the portrait, something he has never done before. [14]

Artist statement: "When I became more ‘awakened’ during my late 20s, naturally I began to attract things that were in alignment with me and the philosophy of life I had developed. Prince was someone I grew deeply fond of. A lot of his earlier and present works began connecting so effortlessly that I started researching more into him on an innate level. In one of the lines in his song “I Would Die For You”, Prince mentions that he was neither a woman or a man and that he was something we could never understand. The words resonated with me more than ever before as that was around the time I began to bask on a spiritually path. I understood and related his words to the inner being I feel we all have. An intangible inner being which doesn’t have a gender nor a physical image one could interrupt".

Solo Exhibitions:

As Kelvin's career in hyper-realism drawing has evolved, he had exhibited his work a number of times; including three of his own solo exhibitions.

• RETROSPECTIVE - September 2019 - Mall Galleries, London [15]
• Interludes | Solo Show - September to October 2016 - 49 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JR
• Portraits | Solo Show - May 2014 - 49 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JR

Exhibitions:

Kelvin began exhibiting his work in 2009 during his degree in Fine Arts. He has since gone on to exhibit his work over twenty times in numerous locations both nationally and internationally.

• Black History Month Exhibition - October 2019 - 10 Downing Street, Westminster, London
• Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) – 4 to 14 July 2019- Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• Group Show | BLACK Exhibition - December 2018 - The Crypt Gallery (St Pancras), London
• Group Show | Ears for the Eyes Exhibition - February to March 2017 - Transition Gallery, London
• Group Show | Winter Exhibition Part II - January 2017 - Albemarle Gallery, London
• December Exhibition - December 2016 - Pictorem Gallery, London
• Group Show | Winter Exhibition Part I - December 2016 - Albemarle Gallery, London
• The Columbia Threadneedle Prize - July 2016 - Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
• The Columbia Threadneedle Prize - February 2016
• Grand Summer Exhibition - Aug to Sept 2015 - 49 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JR - & - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• Behind Sacred Doors Exhibition - July to Oct 2015 - Bruce Castle Museum, London
• The Pastel Society - March 2015 - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• The Discerning Eye - November 2014 - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• Contemporary Realism - September 2014 - 49 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JR
• The Discerning Eye – 14 to 24 November 2013 - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• Cork Street Open Summer Exhibition - 9 to 16 August 2013 - Cork Street Gallery, 28 Cork Street, London, W1S 3NG
• Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) – 6 to 23 March 2013- Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• The Threadneedle Prize - 26 September – 13 October 2012 - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• E17 Art Trail - 1 - 16 September 2012 - Pictorem Gallery, 383 Hoe Street
• Middlesex University Fine Art Degree Show - 2009
• Exhibition of final year student art: Cat Hill Campus - 22-24 May 2009 & Old Truman Brewery - 5-8 June 2009

Events/Activities:

As an avid supporter of various charities, Kelvin has frequently donated his work (including original drawings, limited edition prints and catalogues) to charitable causes.

• Back on Track Art Auction - November 2019 - London Hilton, Park Lane, London
• Global Gift Gala Auction - October 2019 - Kimpton Fitzroy, London
• Donation of 'Mia's Interlude' to Middlesex University - August 2019
• BFAMI 70th Gala Dinner & Art Auction - October 2018 - Christie's, London
• Bernie Grant Unveiling - December 2017 - Portcullis House, Parliament, London
• Talk & Donation - St Francis de Sales Catholic Infant & Junior School in Tottenham, London
• Talk & Donation - July 2015 - St Ignatius College in Enfield, London
• Talk, Student Workshop & Donation - November 2015 - St Paul's and All Hallows Catholic School in Tottenham, London
• Grand Opening of the SE9 Container Gallery - November 2014 - St Thomas More Catholic School in Eltham, London
• Student Workshop - November 2014 - St Thomas More Catholic School in Eltham, London
• Tate Labs Workshop - October 2013 - Tate Modern, London
• Macmillan De'Longhi Art Auction 19 to 23 September 2013 - Royal College of Art, London
• Talk & Demo - August 2013 - Cork Street Open Exhibition, London

In early 2020, during the COVID-19 'Lockdown', Kelvin launched the 'Kelvin Okafor Art Academy'. An online platform where both beginner and experienced artists can access courses and attend online webinars aimed to develop knowledge and skills in hyper-realism drawing. [16] Each month Kelvin plans to release subsequent courses which seek to build upon prior learning, whilst focusing on different facial or bodily features. It also provides a opportunity for students to channel thoughts and feelings by expressing themselves through art during what is considered by many as such unsettling times.

When announcing the launch, Kelvin has shared on his Instagram account @KelvinOkafor_art [17] that he felt the lockdown was a "blessing in disguise". "The lockdown is a chance for all to take a moment to breathe and to reflect on the way we have been living our lives - both internally and externally. I do feel the lockdown is also a chance for one to explore their creativity. Through my artistic journey, drawing has always been my escape. It allows me to purge and to still myself when the world around me seems to be spinning out of my control. Creating art in this lockdown period can be a helpful distraction for many. I believe it can help others find peace through these unsettling times as well as discovering hidden talents they never knew they had. Many have been consumed with their daily working lives that they haven’t found time to express themselves in a creative manner".

• The de Laszlo Foundation Award | Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP) – 9 to 24 May 2013 - Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1
• Runner Up Best Of Show Prize | Cork Street Open Winter Exhibition 2013 - Cork Street Gallery, 28 Cork Street, London, W1S 3NG
• Visitors’ Choice Award | National Open Art Competition - 11 October 2012 - 3 February 2013 - Watercolour + Works on Paper selected works at The Science Museum in London 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2013, Chichester at Pallant House (Winners only) 8 Nov – 18 Nov 2012 - The Prince's Foundation Gallery in Hoxton, London 24 Oct – 1 Nov 2012 & Chichester at The Minerva Theatre 11 - 21 Oct 2012

• Kelvin Okafor Art, official website
• "Kelvin Okafor pencil drawings amaze art critics", BBC News, 28 [1] January 2013.
• "Artist Kelvin Okafor Finds Success With Photo-Realism Drawings Of Celebrities", Huffington Post, 2 February 2013,
• Artist Spotlight: Kelvin Okafor, AyibaMagazine, 19 November 2012