Timothy Orikri brings African vision and social activism to the art scene
Lydia McGhee
For the St. Louis American
If pictures tell a thousand words, then local artist Timothy Orikri is a great orator. Step into the Orikri Design Studio and you’ll be instantly transported into a world of brilliant colors and textures where life’s stories are frozen in time. Orikri is more than an amazing artist; he is also a storyteller, healer and social activist.
The talented artist manipulates dried fruits, hand-woven canvases, rope and other common household items to illustrate important issues and situations. To see his work is to be awakened from the inside out. Tears have poured from the faces of onlookers as they have taken in the marvel that is Orikri’s work.
Raised in a small town in southern Nigeria, Orikri learned the importance of social responsibility and helping others at a young age. Orikri credits his father, a Baptist minister who passed away a little over a year ago, as a major inspiration.
“Even in hopeless situations, I was told by my father to move on. I was told to constantly seek towards the beauty of the prize,” Orikri said. He graduated from college in Nigeria in 1991 and came to the U.S. in 1995.
Orikri’s passion for social change goes beyond theory as he donates his paintings to worthy causes. He has created paintings for breast cancer awareness, the St. Louis Science Center, the St. Louis Zoo and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
One of Orikri’s most inspiring pieces is a collective work created with the perspective and help of 100 children from varying religious backgrounds. The work, which often stirs the soul of visitors, is a collage comprised of the children’s definitions of peace. The mural is a testament to the unity and love that can be achieved when differences are celebrated. The work will benefit Iraqi children and, hopefully, be displayed in the United Nations during a future exhibit.
Orikri has had a difficult time breaking into the mainstream art world. Fortunately, he has attracted a few notable allies. Mayor Francis Slay has taken a keen liking to Orikri’s work and has had the artist render several paintings commemorating St. Louis events. (The St. Louis skyline is a repeated theme of Orikri’s and appears in a number of his paintings in tribute to the city.)
“Timothy’s work comes from the wide variety of life experiences to create a view of our city unlike any that I have seen,” Slay said.
Orikri has also produced works for Dr. Henry Givens Jr., president of Harris-Stowe State University, for the school’s annual Martin Luther King celebration.
One of his most treasured blessings came from the individual who provided him with studio space. “I will always bless the day I met my benefactor, Mr. Patrick Stanley, for his foresight and a heart that supports the weak as well as the unfortunate,” Orikri said.
The energy in the Orikri Design Studio is so positive that it is difficult to leave the gallery unchanged for the better. Located at 1521 Washington, the studio shares an alley with the City Museum. If you are an art aficionado or activist in need of a boost to your spirit – or simply looking for an interesting activity – you will want to visit the Orikri Design Studio.
For more information, call (314) 588-1961 or visit www.orikri.com
