Caroline Chinakwe, a Nigerian-born mixed-media artist from North West London, crafts a captivating narrative of culture, identity, and social justice. Caroline's evocative collages blend PopArt, Afrofuturism, and fine art, challenging norms and embracing black beauty. Notably, her "Colourism" series, born from the aftermath of the BLM protest, explores racial biases within the beauty industry and the preference for lighter skin tone within the Black and Brown communities.
How did your journey as an artist begin?
I started my career in fashion, which was my life for over 20 years, but I eventually realized it wasn’t truly for me. Toward the end, I began working with African designers and spent a lot of time in Nigeria with Lagos Fashion Week. I wanted to bring our aesthetic into my work in the UK, showcasing a different side of black and African models by blending my Nigerian heritage with Western culture. This led me to create collages that eventually turned into art.
How does your heritage influence your art?
Being self-employed for most of my life has helped me become comfortable in my own skin, allowing me to set my own rules for how and where I work. From a young age, I was focused on being my authentic self, influenced by my father's death at 12, which shaped who I wanted to be. My strong, creative Nigerian mother and my cultural upbringing also played a big role. I love being Nigerian and black, and the blend of my Nigerian and Western influences has refined my identity. My artwork reflects who I am and the beauty of our culture.
What inspires you in general as an artist?
I've never been one to follow the typical fashion path—researching, visiting museums, or attending fashion shows wasn't for me. I stopped going to London Fashion Week after realizing it didn’t inspire me. Instead, I'm inspired by life and what's in my mind. My creative process is spontaneous; I don’t plan or prepare. What you see in my work is a direct reflection of my thoughts, even those I didn't know I had. Although I'm not a trained artist, my journey through various creative fields, from music to fashion, has led me to appreciate art deeply. Now, I understand and value the expression of creativity, and I can only create when I’m in a happy place.
As a busy entrepreneur, what are things that you do to unwind and to take care of yourself?
I love watching TV and am very much a homebody, despite what social media might suggest. I never have FOMO—I’m perfectly content at home in bed, enjoying reality shows, especially the "Housewives" series. That’s my happy place, especially with a glass of wine or tonic water. I also like unwinding with a walk in Hampstead Heath when I want to be a bit fancy. Recently, I was surprised to see my work featured on "The Real Housewives of Cheshire" when Sheena Lynch wore it twice! She’s my favorite character, so it was a really nice surprise.
What is your favorite Nubian Skin piece?
I love a good camisole—I actually have two now, but I definitely need more Nubian Skin camisoles. I cut one short once because I was desperate for a shorter nude camisole, only to get a new one soon after! I recently also needed a nude dress-length slip. Camisoles are definitely my favorite though. I also LOVED the Jaiye range.
What is a piece of advice that you've been given over the years that you would like to share with our audience?
One thing I’m trying to improve in my life is overthinking—it can be so debilitating, especially for women. Recently, I realized I was stressing over things that weren’t even issues, making them bigger than they needed to be. I told myself to "cut the noise" and focus on what truly matters. By replacing unnecessary thoughts with ones that are actually important, I found myself in a much better place within a week. My best advice right now is to train yourself to stop overthinking.
For those who don't already follow you, where can we find you?
So my main places is obviously my website, chinakwe.com. And my personal page on Instagram is @carolinechinakwe, and my business page is @chinakwe_.
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