Why She Drew 10-Foot Masterpieces With a Pen

About this video

Jacqueline Suowari is a multidisciplinary artist who brings ballpoint pen art to life on a grand scale. Her Afro-urban pieces—some up to ten feet tall—blend intricate drawings, bold primary colors, and powerful performance art. Through her work, Suowari aims to empower Nigerians to embrace vulnerability and discuss topics often left unspoken, like mental health. Her large-scale portraits give voice to the marginalized, inviting us to rethink identity and human expression. Suowari says, “I think for me the greatest achievement is using art as a tool to change people for the greater good—to inspire people to be better.” 00:48 - Mastering the pen 02:33 - 'Now I Wear Myself' Exhibition 03:46 - Mentoring 04:16 - 'The Way They See Us' Exhibition Lead Producer / Camera / Editor: Dominique Turner Additional Footage: Oluwaseun Oke Sky News Photography: The Lex Ash Revamp Initiative Pluv Foundation Special thanks: Muhammad Suleiman, Nzan Ogbe Got a story idea for us? Send us an email at pitch [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com 📧 Get exclusive GBS items from our online store 🛒 👉 https://shop.greatbigstory.com/ SUBSCRIBE: https://buff.ly/41yqVHF NOTIFICATIONS: Make sure you enable the 🔔 to get notified about our latest video publishes. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatbigstory Check us out on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCajXeitgFL-rb5-gXI-aG8Q Join us on Snapchat: https://story.snapchat.com/p/18450982-0867-49c9-b4ac-2a534d1c86aa Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatbigstory Give us a shout on Twitter: https://twitter.com/greatbigstory Sign up to our newsletter: https://greatbigstory.com/signup/ Welcome to Great Big Story — Where the extraordinary hides in plain sight. From forgotten histories and unsung heroes to mind-blowing innovations and mesmerising cultures, We’re a global storytelling collective obsessed with the extraordinary tucked inside the everyday. Our producers are filmmakers, adventurers, and curious souls who believe a great story can change how you see the world. We publish new videos every week. Please join us in exploring a world of fascinating perspectives around history, culture, technology, food, real life stories, and beyond.