Uche Okpa-Iroha
Uche Okpa-Iroha was born on the 2nd of January, 1972 in Enugu, Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree (1997) in Food Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
He has shown in major exhibitions within and outside Nigeria – The 10th Havana Biennial, Havana 2009. Others Include the African Emerging Photography, Paris Photo 2011,the Ungovernables (Invisible Borders Group) New Museum, New York 2012 and GO-SLOW: Diaries of personal and collective stagnation in Lagos (New Directions in Contemporary Photography), Skoto Gallery, New Yprk, 2013.
Uche won the Seydou keita Award for the best photography creation at the 8th Bamako Encounters with the “ Under Bridge Life” project and also received the Jean Paul Blachere prize. Other nominations include the Prix Pictet Award “Growth” in 2010 and the National Geographic All Roads Photography program in 2011. He is a contributor to several publications including “Lagos – the City at work” and “Nigerians behind the lens”.
Uche is an ex-resident, fellow and alumnus of the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2011- 2012). He lives and works in Lagos as a photographer, founder/Principal of the new photography platform – The Nlele Institute – African Centre for Photography (TNI.ACP).
Born in January 2, 1972 in Enugu and an indigene of Abia State in the South Eastern Niger Delta of Nigeria.
Education
Bachelors of Technology Degree in Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria (1997)
Residencies
2011-2012 Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten/ Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Awards
2011 The National Geographic All Roads Photography Programme (nominated)
2010 ‘Growth’ Prix Pictet Award, Paris, France (nominated)
2009 The Seydou Keita Prize for the Best Photographic Creation, Bamako Encounters
Private & Public collections
Robert Holmes Collection, Los Angeles, USA
Jean Paul Blachere Collection, France
Rob Defares Collection, The Netherlands
Tom de Swaan Collection, The Netherlands
Queensland Gallery of Modern Arts, South Brisbane, Australia.
Recent exhibitions/projects
2014 Sounds of Silence, CODA Museum, Apeldoom, The Netherlands
2014 Phantasms of The Non-City|Lagos Photo Festival, FNB JoBurg Artfair
