Zohra Opoku in conversation with Mallory Lowe Mpoka
This conversation focuses on the practice of Zohra Opoku, whose work explores identity, belonging, and cultural memory through photography, textiles, and installation. Born in East Germany and now based in Accra, Opoku draws on personal and ancestral narratives to examine how heritage and contemporary experience intersect. Her tactile approach, combining screen-printing, embroidery, and collage, transforms fabric into a site of reflection on the body and its histories. In dialogue with artist Mallory Lowe Mpoka, the exchange offers insights into shared concerns around memory, materiality, and the transmission of diasporic stories.
This activity is part of the symposium Black Atlantic Networks: Heritage, Knowledge and Solidarity, taking place in Montréal from November 18 to 22, 2025. The symposium fosters transnational dialogue and creates a space for the co-construction of knowledge.
Speakers
Zohra Opoku
Mallory Lowe Mpoka
Information
Free activity in English, presented on Wednesday, November 19 at 1 p.m.
Duration: 60 minutes
Location: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
The venue is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
About the Panelists
ZOHRA OPOKU
ZOHRA OPOKU b. 1976, Altdöbern (former GDR/ East Germany); lives and works in Accra, Ghana. Zohra Opoku’s multidisciplinary practice explores identity, memory, and belonging through photography, textiles, and installation. Born in East Germany and based in Accra, she bridges her dual heritage by merging traditional craftsmanship with experimental processes. Using screen-printed images on natural fabrics, embroidery, and collage, she constructs layered narratives rooted in personal and cultural history. Her work reflects the emotional landscapes of the African diaspora, transforming intimate experiences into universal reflections. Exhibited internationally, Opoku’s art has been shown at institutions including Tate Modern, Zeitz MOCAA, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Brooklyn Museum, and is held in major public collections worldwide.
Photo © SoFraiche Media
Mallory Lowe Mpoka
Mallory Lowe Mpoka (b.1996) is a Cameroonian-Belgian artist based in Montreal. Her expanded photographic practice explores memory, place, and identity through weaving, ceramics, and sculpture. Engaging personal archives and colonial legacies, her work bridges continents and histories. She has exhibited internationally and is currently presenting a solo show at Fonderie Darling during Momenta Biennale in 2025.
Photo © Odéon Davis