Mercellina Akpojotor's Empowerment

Nigerian Artist, Marcellina Akpojotor, has been in the spotlight since her days as a Rele Young Contemporary artist, and we’re so grateful for the find because her works are visually and emotionally beautiful.

She uses traditional painting, collages and mixed media to tell a powerful story about strength, perseverance, and empowerment. For example, her most popular series so far, Daughters of Esan, is inspired by her Great Grandmother who wanted to be educated but couldn’t get the chance. Through her paintings, Akpojotor tells the story of how this ancestor has lived through her female descendants who are now fulfilling her dream of education.

“The women in my works are passionate, confident, goal getters, self aware, strong yet vulnerable and they are evolving” ~ Mercellina for She-Curates

This messaging is empowering and much needed for all women and girls today, many of which are still not privileged to get even the most basic education.

Akpojotor’s work not only speaks to this social issue, but inherently tackles the issue of sustainable consumption and waste. An integral material to her works are pieces of Ankara (African print) fabric which she sources from fashion houses. These are pieces that would otherwise have gone to waste, but instead, have been fashioned and molded to inspire girls, women, and really everyone, around the world.

See some of her creations below.