In a digital age saturated with filters and face-tuning, where images are endlessly curated to conceal rather than reveal, Kelvin Okafor’s new exhibition Drawing Awareness arrives as a masterstroke of defiance — tender, human, and unfiltered. Now showing at Fitzrovia’s Hope 93 Gallery until July 3rd, this extraordinary solo show by the acclaimed British hyperrealist does more than display technical prowess; it delivers a call to action, a love letter to difference, and a gentle yet thunderous push toward empathy.
Executed entirely in graphite and charcoal, the portraits in Drawing Awareness are nearly photographic in their precision — every pore, scar, and strand of hair rendered with obsessive care — but what truly stops you in your tracks is the emotional resonance each image carries. Okafor doesn’t just draw faces; he draws truths.
The exhibition celebrates individuals with visible skin differences — from vitiligo and burns to acne and lupus — reframing their appearances not as anomalies but as powerful testaments to identity and resilience. Among the sitters are international model and vitiligo advocate Winnie Harlow, Grammy-winner Seal, and activist and TV presenter Nikki Lilly. Together, they form a collective of strength, each narrative echoing themes of endurance, courage, and self-acceptance.
For Okafor, this work is personal. The inspiration came from his earlier portrait of Harlow, whose story sparked a deeper exploration into how society sees — and often refuses to see — people with visible differences. With Drawing Awareness, he doesn’t just give these individuals visibility; he offers reverence.
The exhibition unfolds like a series of intimate confessions. Katie Piper’s gaze is luminous and unwavering. Catrin Pugh’s portrait exudes softness and determination in equal measure. Nikki Lilly’s reaction to seeing her portrait captures the weight of Okafor’s work: “When Kelvin puts pencil to paper, he opens a window into our souls… Seeing my finished portrait was an out-of-body experience… It made me confront myself, my face, and my identity in a way I never had before.” In that single reflection lies the power of this exhibition — a transformation not only for the subject but for everyone who stands before the work.
The venue itself, Hope 93, is a fitting home for such a show. Founded by Aki Abiola with a mission to amplify underrepresented voices and artists from all walks of life, the gallery has quickly established itself as a progressive space for bold, socially engaged art. “Kelvin’s advocacy for greater inclusivity and his celebration of diversity perfectly embodies the thought-provoking, conversation starting work we strive to amplify through Hope 93,” Abiola notes. The exhibition also partners with Changing Faces, Face Equality International, and The Katie Piper Foundation — organisations that share Okafor’s vision for visibility, acceptance, and change.
In Drawing Awareness, Okafor not only elevates pencil to an elite artistic medium, he proves that precision can coexist with vulnerability. His work bridges the gap between visibility and validation. At a time when beauty standards are increasingly questioned, this exhibition doesn’t just reframe the narrative — it redraws it entirely.
Drawing Awareness is on view at Hope 93 Gallery, London, from June 6th to July 3rd, 2025. Entry is free.
