Exploring Identity in Tim Okamura’s Portraits

Tim Okamura is a Brooklyn-based painter. He is renowned for his powerful portraits of women, particularly Black women.

Through these portraits, he explores themes of identity, urban environments, and contemporary iconography. Okamura, originally from Canada, created a distinctive painting style. It combines traditional academic figure painting with elements of collage, spray paint, and mixed media.

His work often features a single female figure in a commanding pose. Sometimes it incorporates natural elements like butterflies and rodents. It might also include urban motifs such as graffiti. These elements reflect the city landscapes that influence his art.

Okamura’s decision to focus on underrepresented subjects comes from a desire to learn about communities different from his own. He wants to connect with these communities. He also aims to challenge his own preconceived notions about identity.

In an interview with Nailed, Okamura emphasized the importance of authenticity in his work. He noted that viewers can discern whether an artist’s message is genuine. He aims to celebrate his community through positive and respectful representations. He didn’t initially intend for his work to be conceptual. However, it has sparked conversations about representation. It has also challenged viewers’ assumptions about who can portray whom in art.

Okamura’s work has been featured in exhibitions such as “Still I Rise” at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

His portraits are available through  Artsy. He maintains an active presence on Instagram, where he shares his latest creations. He also shares insights into his artistic process on Instagram.