Isabel Okoro's new photo book is described as a glimpse into an imagined universe; a place to immortalize the people who have had a vital impact on her life. She coined the term "normatopia" to describe it. "In 2019, I started discovering my voice in my work," the 20-year-old reveals. "I started to see these subliminal threads flowing across each image." That's when I began to consider Eternity and world building." Isabel's world (which she refers to as 'Eternity') is diametrically opposed to our existing reality. While dehumanization and violence are common in our world, Isabel's normatopia is a place where you can be yourself freely, truthfully, and happily. It's a plan for a better reality that she's been working on for a long time.
"Growing up in Lagos, I remember longing to go to a park but there weren't many around," Isabel, who was born and raised in Nigeria, recalls. Natural spaces are a significant theme in Friends in Eternity, second only to the purposeful centering of Black bodies. "There's simply something about people taking up space that I appreciate, so I made sure to take use of the beaches, gardens, and sunsets as I was creating the photographs."
Her confidence in herself, as well as the support of her community, drove her decision to self-publish. "I was obsessed with the idea of writing a book, and then I got the Getty Images: Definition Future grant in 2020, which was, in a way, the final push I needed to make the notion a reality." After receiving the award, Isabel enlisted the help of her friends, none of whom had any experience in book publishing, and proceeded on the task of self-publishing the monograph. "The experience wasn't always pleasant, but I would do this a thousand times again," she says affectionately of the highs and lows of the voyage to print. It was therapeutic. It was also a pleasure to work on this with my buddies. My community came together to support me and make this dream a reality.
