Kelvin Okafor

Born in 1985, artist Kelvin Okafor specialises in hyper-realist pencil portraits. Working in the medium of photorealistic portrait drawings, Okafor has often used the term ‘aliveness’ to express the technical and sentimental value of his work.

The sensitive strokes and subtle accuracy of his style flawlessly mimic the contours of a photograph to the extent that his drawings are regularly confused with real photography. However, the aim of Okafor’s realistic drawings is not just to emulate photographs but to expose the humanity and emotional life of his subjects.

KELVIN OKAFOR’S ART EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER

As a London-born British Artist Okafor studied a Foundation course in Art & Design at City & Guilds Art School. He then attended Middlesex University to study drawing, graduating with a B.A. (Hon)s in Fine Art.

Okafor mastered the ability to create meticulously refined tones and textures on paper. His first solo show of his signature black and white artworks took place at the Albemarle Gallery in London and was a huge success, resulting in over fifty commissions. He has since taken home numerous national awards and received endless critical acclaim.

OKAFOR’S FAMOUS DRAWINGS

Among Okafor’s most notable works as a contemporary portrait artist have been his black and white portraits of John Lennon, Kate Moss, and Skepta. His graphite and charcoal drawing of John Lennon (2019) took more than 215 hours to complete and his portrait of Kate Moss set records at Bonhams, selling for over four times the estimated price.

NEWS AND EXHIBITIONS

Okafor’s contemporary figurative art has been exhibited at top galleries across the country. He was featured in the BBC’s Extraordinary Portraits series, where he produced a portrait of disability activist Catrin Pugh.

If you’d like to learn more about the artist’s photorealistic portraits, read our article on Kelvin Okafor’s Emotional Realism. You can find Kelvin Okafor art for sale on Rise Art.