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Michelle Baharier

London, Camberwell Green
Age five, my art work was exhibited at School. Inspired by daily life, I create the ordinary/extraordinary, voicing the unseen/invisible/unheard, bringing neglected stories to life. Via colour and interaction with audiences.

Art is my necessity. I create to amplify marginalised voices, telling people’s stories through visual communication.

I work culturally, emotively, using archives to uncover people’s stories, both living and dead, in ways that relate to my own lived experiences. I draw deeply from my own life, including my experience with dyslexia, turning it into a creative force for transformation.

As a multidisciplinary artist I use paint, performance, photography and poetry to provoke dialogue and challenge cultural perceptions. My work explodes in bright colours, exploring themes of disability, working-class identity, gender, social justice and the built environment.

I often paint fast and furious, using visual narratives charged with passion for a conversation with my audience.

My performances, like What Shapes You? MIMA 2025, combine storytelling with participatory elements and engage audiences intellectually and emotionally.

My portraits, such as that of disability rights campaigner Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, speak to broader political movements. My practice is inspired by global struggles like Women, Life, Freedom. I collaborate widely, attend peer-led groups, and experiment constantly in my studio. Over four decades, I’ve built a vast bank of technical and conceptual skills. I remain fiercely curious, always evolving, especially as digital tools reshape creative language.

 

Post Office Tower, Art Photography

Artist Residency and Solo Show at the House of Annetta

Heygate Estate

The Great British Tea Break, Art Performance

War Mess

Diamond Cat, Acrylic on Linen

Brockwell Park, Photography

We Are All Queen Esther, Mixed Media Painting

1. Kate Brown, Acrylic Portrait on Canvas

Stephen, Acrylic Portrait on Linen

Nick Saunders, Acrylic Portrait on Linen

Sharon, Acrylic Portrait on Canvas

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