Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm is all set to present On Lies, Secrets and Silence, the first solo exhibition by the Norwegian-Nigerian sociologist and artist Frida Orupabo in Sweden. On view from August 28 - November 10, 2024, the exhibition shall bring together earlier and new works. The artist makes digital and physical collages that explore a variety of topics including gender, race, sexuality and family. The bodies of Orupabo’s subjects are black and presented in a fragmented manner, in varying degrees of brightness. On Lies, Secrets and Silence is commissioned by Bonniers Konsthall and Astrup Fearnley Museet. The presentation is curated by Yuvinka Medina, Senior Curator, Bonniers Konsthall, who joins STIR for an interview that sheds light on Orupabo’s interplay of darker and lighter bodies, along with her conscious use of scale.

Discussing the artist’s subjects, Medina tells STIR, “Orupabo's collages critically engage with colonial histories, exploring the complex interplay of race, identity and power. By juxtaposing fragmented images of black bodies with stark black-and-white contrasts, her work highlights the historical and ongoing violence of colonialism and racism.” The artist achieves this through contrasting bodies that deconstruct stereotypical black identities with the illusion that some of the bodies are white. The viewer is led into a state of uncertainty and is no longer able to place the subjects in their presupposed positions within black-white racial and power dynamics, causing one to reflect on the systemic forces that perpetuate them.

The Norwegian-Nigerian artist is based in Oslo, Norway and works with scale in order to shape the relationship between her artworks and audience. As Medina explains to STIR, the artist’s larger works exist on a lifelike scale, forcing the viewer to engage in a relationship of equals with the works. In the words of the curator, “...this emphasises their importance and dignity.”

“...Orupabo's collages serve as a powerful visual commentary on the impact of colonial histories, encouraging viewers to reconsider and redefine their perceptions of race and identity in a (so-called) post-colonial world. – Yuvinka Medina, Senior Curator, Bonniers Konsthall

Their large scale also encourages closer interaction with the artist’s works, revealing minute textures and details, which require movement and engagement from different angles. "The sheer size evokes psychological responses like awe and discomfort, deepening connections to themes of identity, race and colonial legacies. The scale also blurs the lines between private and public space, making the viewer feel immersed in the artwork's world and enhancing its social and political impact. Overall, the scale of Orupabo's works amplifies their visual and emotional impact, reinforcing themes of empowerment, visibility and resistance against historical marginalisation,” Medina tells STIR.

Orupabo’s work is focused on the reclamation of black bodies, asserting the dignity of her subjects. The artist’s practice links historical injustices against black communities across the world to contemporary concerns around black representation. While her art is primarily rooted in a decolonial understanding of history, she does not seek to atomise black and white folk but rather cleverly blurs the line between bodies in many of her compositions. Despite the jarring effect that many of Orupabo’s fleshy configurations can have, her work is fundamentally utopic social art: it advocates for a unified social milieu, rather than one that is defined by race.

Medina ends her interview with STIR, saying “...Orupabo's collages serve as a powerful visual commentary on the impact of colonial histories, encouraging viewers to reconsider and redefine their perceptions of race and identity in a (so-called) post-colonial world.” Frida Orupabo’s fragmented protagonists shall greet audiences with defiance that demands their attention, beckoning them to embrace a politics of black resistance.

‘On Lies, Secrets and Silence’ is being shown at Bonniers Konsthall from August 28 - November 10, 2024.