Toyin Ojih Odutola's Rich People

Nigerian born artist, Toyin Ojih Odutola, made a name for herself with the signature intricate black lines she uses to represent skin in her portraits. More recently, her monochromatic charcoal effects have sometimes morphed into penciled colour and graphite.

These works represent Black people in an affluent state, going about their business without fear of discrimination, be it aggressive or subtle. Odutola is deliberate about this. She has been vocal about the discrimination she has faced as a person, and as an artist. This is an unfortunate experience borne by most people of colour, and is one that shapes their decisions e.g. the simple act of deciding where to travel because of concerns of racism.

But her recent portraits show a powerful message of what could be - Black people owning enough resources right now (not far off in the future) so that they can confidently interact with themselves and the environment without fear of racism. We need more of this narrative in the art world.

See some of the works below.

Find more of Odutola’s work here, and read this lovely article about her on i-D