Chidera Okoye; Making space for trans artists in African art.

03/06/2024

"My goal is to show black African people especially black African trans people in different types or art media."



I get my inspiration from cartoons and video games I grew up with from the early 90s-2000s. 


There's not a lot of African people in cartoons especially video games. 


I mainly use watercolour and black pen for my art pieces. I plan to expand on what I use for my artwork


. I want to expand with my art and want to make video games and cartoons of my own.


Who do you think are some of your biggest African queer/trans creative inspirations?


Dreamer Isioma. 


This is an artist that really inspired me when it comes to music and my art. 


I love their music and how open they are with their identity. 


The brightness of their song covers gave me inspiration to make my art feel more like summer.


I inspire to tell my stories about my identity and queerness in Nigeria.


Why do you think having and supporting spaces for these communities in art is so vital, (particularly in African creativity)?


Art is a way of telling people stories while also showing your talent and creativity.


 We need these spaces for African queer people to show their stories and relate to people. 


The LGBT + community, in African countries, don't have any support from the government or even the society that they're in. 


Simply posting your art as an African queer person online will go a long way; reach so many people even outside of African countries. 


I will always be grateful for the Internet because now it is a way to connect with so many people and create communities even outside of the country you live in. 


You can't help who you are, and I think it's extremely disheartening that people would even second-guess supporting an artist because of who they are. 


That's why I will always support queer African artists and listen to their story.

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