Zohra Opuku: Rhododendron

Striking image outside the Hayward Gallery by Zohra Opuku.

This the latest in the gallery’s Billboard series where they display a large image in the public realm for a long period, often mirroring the topic of one of their exhibitions. This is a self portrait of the artist inspired by West African masquerades and the natural world. She often uses indigenous plants in her work to represent identity and belonging however in this case Rhododendron her head is a non-native plant, representing finding yourself in an environment/country which is not your own.

I love the contrast of her white blouse which stands out against the dark and how she wears a necklace of shells reflecting her home. I also like the way the leaves look so beautiful yet conceal her face.

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