Dubem Okafor is...

a Nigerian-American creative based in Boston MA, Dubem Okafor delves into a variety of mediums including music, visual art, and arts education. Dubem aims to unite people through showcasing whimsical displays of vulnerability, truth, and a good laugh. The alias of “CalvinKleinCaterpillar” is a device to explain his general disposition: ‘Trying to grow into a beauteous butterfly yet feeling stuck. Never finding freedom, true acceptance but complacent in the luxury of what others see. Feeling seen yet unseen.

I’m constantly having problems with communication. Various parts of my identity are strewn across different spaces. My Nigerian heritage, my artist communities, my city- all act as constellations so far from one another that they become alien to even me. The manifold of realities I exist within makes speaking so difficult. I’m always finding my thoughts lost in translation when talking to others.

My name is a derivative of ‘Chidubem’, meaning: led by God. How I interpret that is not having this leadership role, but the act of being in-between. Taking guidance from beyond and interpreting it to those around me. I become a facilitator. I become a bridge between God and the world. The art I create is that translator, connecting several modes of expression in ways that reflect those around me and even those who experience my work.

. Education

2017-2021  Lasell University, BA Communication w/ creative advertising concentration

. job history

. press

. Dokafor109@gmail.com