Collection: Michelle Baharier

Michelle Baharier is a visual artist. Her style is strongly influenced by her experience of disability and she has spent many years advocating inclusion. She has experienced mental health challenges first hand and also struggles with the hurdles she faces because of dyslexia. Michelle grew up in a time when people did not understand dyslexia. For this reason, she was often treated poorly, mocked and put-down by others. In some ways this has made her the person she is today, stronger and keen to talk about her experiences, but in her younger years it made her vulnerable and led to mental health issues which it has taken her considerable time to overcome.

People just think I’m thick.

Michelle has exhibited widely, most recently with the South London Women Artists at Amp Gallery and also at the WOW festival in Royal Festival Hall. Michelle’s style is bold and unflinching. She is keen to explore inner conflict, the extremes of love and hate, hope and despair. The vulnerabilities which she lays bare in her work are motivated by a deep need to celebrate individuality and imperfection and, by doing so, build a better world.