Isabel Okoro is a cultural archeologist. The Nigeria-born, Toronto-based visual artist uses photography and video to excavate the tender, honest, and authentic moments of everyday life that can often go overlooked. At just 22 years old, Okoro has already self-published a monograph, ‘Friends in Eternity,’ held an exhibition in Mexico City entitled ‘Constructing Eternity,’ shown work at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, and had two original photographs acquired by the Art Gallery of Ontario. Today, the self-proclaimed former “science kid” has embraced her imagination to captivating success, developing a unique blend of realism and fantasy to build comprehensive and evolving worlds through her work.

Born and raised in Lagos, Okoro has been documenting her friends since she was 15 years old. She credits her creative practice's progression to Lagosians' inherent flexibility and to her early years growing up with a large extended family. Livestock caught up with Okoro on her most recent visit home to find out more about her community, her artistic philosophies, and what drives her to create.

LS: Tell us about the process of putting the adidas SL 72 shoot together. 

IO: I love working when I’m at home, and I had the freedom to approach this project how I wanted, which gave me the opportunity to tell a story of Lagos that I can relate to. I wanted to pose the question: what does it mean when young people come together? There are moments of wandering, of competitiveness, of romance. I wanted to showcase a side of Lagos that’s not usually seen. The energy of the city and the people, how they relate to one another. At the same time, it’s a personal story for me, too. On set, I was working mostly with my friends, so it was very comfortable. I picked realistic locations where we’d actually hang out and spend time. I pulled references from some Viviane Sassen images and traditional West African photography too.

LS: You mention wanting to show a side of Lagos that’s not usually seen. What do you think is often overlooked when it comes to depictions of life in Lagos?

IO: There’s a way that the Western world tries to frame African cities. The view on our cities is devoid of moments of peace and normalcy; it’s all hustle and bustle. Or if it’s not that, it’s very traditional, people living in rural areas. We never really get to see visuals of the normal day-to-day lives of the youth and people who live here. The models in this shoot are the people who are making sure that those images exist, like Blessing, who runs Dencity skateboard club, or Ehinor, who is a fashion designer. She wore her own designs for the shoot. They’re taking control of their own stories and narratives and presenting themselves in the way they want to be seen.

LS: You’ve recently started directing videos as well. What is it about this medium that’s appealing to you?

IO: Videos give me an opportunity to add more dimension to an image. Through sound and movement, I’m able to enhance what the image can mean to someone. Right now, I’m in the stage of my artistic journey where I’m exploring all the ways I can get my ideas out. 

LS: Your Instagram bio says “Sensory Thinker.” Why does that description resonate with you?

IO: All types of stimuli inspire me. From sound to scent to the food that I eat. At home in Nigeria, there’s a lot of creativity with the local food. All of these things come together to inspire my work and who I am as a person. I see the world for all its parts and how they come together to make everything whole.

LS: What was your childhood like growing up in Lagos?

IO: My mom is the eldest of many siblings, so I grew up around my aunts and uncles. I had a lot of extended family around me and a lot of friends from going to different schools. Having so many people around me opened me up to the vastness of the human experience. There were always different people to relate to, and I learned to mould myself to fit into a wide spectrum of situations. 

LS: What makes Nigerian style, in particular, stand out? 

IO: My friends dress according to how they feel, with a lot of references to past fashion eras mixed in. Tailoring is also big, and a lot of people get their own custom clothes made. People here always find a way to make something out of nothing, to make it their own.

LS: World-building and imagination are prevailing elements of your work. What role does daydreaming play in your life?

IO: Growing up, I was very curious and wanted to know a lot about the world and how it worked. Over the years, dreaming has come into my personal life and work as a way for me to look beyond what’s in front of me. I was always pretty imaginative; I would write stories. I was also a science kid growing up, so I didn’t really take myself seriously, but when I go home to Lagos, I stay in the same bedroom I grew up in and looking back at my old notebooks, I can see evidence of my early imagination. I’m fascinated by the beyond, all the things I don’t know yet.

In partnership with adidas Originals, we launched a takeover for the SL 72 at our flagship Spadina retail location, featuring large format prints of Isabel Okoro’s photography and a display highlighting the retro footwear silhouette.

That evening, Amapiano music collective AMAPROBLEM kicked off a high-energy night of South African house music, with refreshments courtesy of Modelo.