Mikael Owunna
(Nigerian-Swedish-American, b. 1990)
4 Queer African Women in the Snow, from Limitless Africans, 2017
Inkjet print on Kodak Pro Endura, gloss finish
24 x 36 in.
Gallery Purchase
Mikael Owunna found his voice in art and photography, he says, after American society alienated him as an immigrant and African circles alienated him as a gay man. From 2013 to 2017, he embarked on a major documentary project titled Limit(less), photographing and telling the stories of 50 LGBTQ African immigrants in North America and Europe. Through the project, Owunna aims to debunk the idea that homosexuality is “un-African,” while unearthing the European colonial roots of that notion. Four Queer African Women in the Snow is the first group portrait in the series, created to convey the importance of support and found family within the LGBTQ migrant community. The styles of those pictured along with the wintry setting work together to challenge traditional notions of nationality and identity.
Biography
Owunna is an internationally acclaimed photographer and engineer. He received a BA and BSE in History and Biomedical Engineering from Duke University, Durham, NC (2012), and recently published his first monograph, Limitless Africans. He has featured in group exhibitions across North America, Europe, and Asia, at institutions such as the National Taiwan Museum, Nan’ao, Taiwan; Changhua County Indigenous Peoples Activity Center, Changhua, Taiwan; alpha nova & galerie futura, Berlin, Germany; Bronx Documentary Center, Bronx, NY; and has works in upcoming exhibitions at the Tate Modern, London, England, and Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh, Raleigh NC. Owunna’s solo exhibition Limitless exhibited at Davidson in 2019.
Owunna has won numerous awards, grants, and media plaudits, including the New York Times Portfolio Review Award, NPR’s Favorite Photos & Illustrations of 2019 Award, YWCA Racial Justice Award for Creativity and Innovation (2019). He has garnered media coverage from the numerous news outlets, including The Guardian, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, VICE, NPR and CNN and spoken about his works at academic institutions across the United States, most recently conducting a TEDx talk at Trinity College, Hartford, CT. Owunna currently resides In Pittsburgh, PA.
