Join us for a live figure drawing and movement workshop led by artist Odera Igbokwe, presented as part of the programming series To Wash Ourselves Clean of Desire. Drawing inspiration from Rotimi Fani-Kayode’s early sketch work—on view in Tranquility of Communion—participants will begin with a guided live figure drawing session that invites reflection on the conventional and voyeuristic ways the Black body has been depicted.

The session makes space for body positivity and artistic experimentation in how the Black form is rendered. Over time this workshop will evolve into an integrated movement workshop led by Igbokwe that evokes the links between Igbo and Yoruba spirituality, embodied ancestral veneration, and diasporic dance practices. Set to a vibrant blend of traditional and contemporary music, the workshop uses floorwork and improvisation to awaken a sense of freedom—honouring the body’s instinct to move, remember, and rejoice as a vessel of history, resilience, and joy.

In honour of Rotimi Fani-Kayode, this workshop will center and prioritize Queer and Black participants and QTBIPOC allies. Participants are asked to engage in the space with respect, a commitment to understanding, and as guests who are learning art forms rooted in Nigerian, Black, and Afrodiasporic cultures.

Live figure model will be present with partial nudity.

Doors at 6:30pm
Workshop at 7:00pm

Admission is by a suggested donation of $10-$20, courtesy of BMO Financial Group

RSVP is required

Space is limited

About Odera Igbokwe
Odera Igbokwe (they/them) is a painter, illustrator, and movement artist located on the unceded and traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Odera was born of Igbo parents who immigrated to the lands of the Lenape people. As a result they are constantly excavating, responding, and envisioning in spite of the fractures that occur via diaspora. Their artwork is an exploration of storytelling through Afro-diasporic spiritualism, Black resilience, embodied transformations, and redefining the archetypal hero’s journey. More specifically, they are intrigued by Nigerian spiritualism, folklore, and sacred practices, and how that relates to contemporary communities across the Americas.

Their artwork weaves together ancient narratives with Afrofuturist visions to explore present day realities. It explores the magic of the Black Queer imagination, and questions how to build a home from an intersectional lens. Ultimately these works aim to create gateways and access points to healing from collective and generational traumas, and assert that healing can be a celebration of joy, mundanity, pain, pleasure, and fantasy coexisting. As an artist, Odera works with clients and galleries to create work that is deeply personal, soulful, and intersectional.

Odera holds a BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and studied West African Dance Movement and Theatre Arts at Brown University with New Works/World Traditions. Their work has featured in exhibitions, publishing, and gaming. Recent collaborations and exhibitions include working with Vancouver Art Gallery, Nia Centre for the Arts, Surrey Art Gallery, 221A, and CBC Arts.

Image: Odera Igbokwe, Funeral Rights (detail), 2025