Agaba Solomon Peabo
Photographer
Kampala| Uganda
My name is Agaba Solomon Peabo, a photographer and digital artist born and raised in Uganda. My inspiration behind my street photography and afro-futurism is we always dream for a better Africa bringing that dream into reality through my work is what motivates me each day.
Arafa C. Hamadi
Visual Artist
Tanzania/Kenya | Tanzania
Arafa Cynthia Hamadi is a non-binary, multidisciplinary artist working in Tanzania and Kenya. They create artwork in various mediums that address the intersections of the conceptual and the physical, as well as the ephemeral and the permanent, in hopes of provoking their visitors into considering their daily realities. Arafa’s work also explores their queerness in relation to space and occupancy. They work in the realms of 3D design, graphic design, sculpture, and architecture.
D’mani Thomas
Multi-discipline Writer/Visual Artist
Oakland |USA
D’mani Thomas (he/him/they) is a horror film fanatic, twitter sub-culture enthusiast, and dance lover. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where they were a two-time member of CAL Slam ( 2017 & 2018), representing UC Berkeley at CUPSI, an international spoken word poetry festival, earning the “Best Writing As a Team” accolade in 2018. He was a 2019 Pink Plastic House Resident, a 2020 “SHOW US YOUR SPINES” resident through Lambda Literary. D’mani is the 2020 Foglifter Youth Fellow and a “Bakanal de Afrique” fellow conducting research on transportation infrastructure in times of crisis. His work can be found in The Auburn Avenue, Foglifter, MARY: A Journal of New Writing, and elsewhere.
Olubori Babaoye
Visual Artist
Richmond| Nigeria/USA
Throughout my elementary years, I drew on the playground with chalk during recess and even sketched on my homework assignments. That was when I was introduced to the Oakland School for the Arts where I studied Visual Arts. My time there allowed my creativity to manifest into something remarkable. As a Nigerian-American artist, I feel that it’s my responsibility to commentate on the various socio-economic and political conundrums taking place today in both America and Nigeria. Being that I was raised in a Nigerian household, it’s inevitable that I’ve established such a powerful connection with my homeland. I’ve continuously strived to perfect my craft not only as a classical painter, but also a digital illustrator, Sip & Paint instructor, as well as a live performer/painter. I’ve come to realize the true power that I have as a creative to heal and inspire those around me.
Lauren Baccus
Textile Artist
Miami| USA
Lauren Baccus is a textile artist with roots throughout the Caribbean. Her work is centered around the reframing and retelling of Caribbean stories through costume. She is strongly influenced by masquerade, the region’s legacy of resistance through clothing, and the universality of play through dress.
Demetrius Borge
Filmmaker
Middlebury| USA
Demetrius has been producing videos since he accidentally erased all the family photos during a summer trip. In an attempt to make up for it he began making claymations in middle school, and transitioned to live-action in high school.
He attended Middlebury College as a Film and Media Culture major and produced videos for different student organizations, academic departments, and independently with friends.
From there he worked as a Digital Media Producer for Middlebury College’s Communications and Marketing Department, where he produced, directed, and edited videos for the college. In addition, he has worked as a producer, director, editor, and cinematographer on multiple short films and commercials.
He now co-owns 273 Productions where he continues to make videos.
Wole Hammond
Photographer
Abuja | Nigeria
Wole Hammond is a documentary photographer based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is a huge admirer of nature and the environment and he is interested in building inclusive and sustainable societies for the future. His work as an artist explores using visuals to tell socio-cultural and environmental stories of the 21st century and their inter-relationship with humans.
He attended the Canon Digital and Street photography workshop in 2018. Wole works with non-profits promoting clean environment and sustainable development goals. Some of his work has been featured on platforms such as the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, Institut du Francais Nigeria, Tell that Story, and Kurating. Wole is currently working on documentary projects promoting environmental sustainability in his city.
Vivi Karia
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
I am a photographer who main focuses on showing the beauty I'm surrounded by and Vivi Karia is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Nairobi. Vivi specializes in object design but has also had a background in installation design.
In 2018 alongside fellow artist Magati Maosa, they hosted an installation called Mental Tourist for Africa Nouveau Festival.The installation was a physical visual project that served to give a glimpse into the experiences artists go through when they create.
She is also a 2019 Catalyst Grant artist of the British Council NaNa Art program. Key themes that can be found in her work are religion and storytelling of everyday life narratives. Vivi always aims to pose the unfamiliar to her audience in hopes of triggering even greater conversations.
Habila Sani Mazawaje
Photographer
Abuja | Nigeria
I am a photographer who main focuses on showing the beauty I'm surrounded by and telling stories. I have always enjoyed creating. This is partly what inspired me to photography. The other reason was seeing my uncle do it while growing up and also getting a camera from my dad. Photography gives me the most freedom to express myself and show the world the way I see it. A lot of my experiences and influences have shaped my creative side over the years, part of which is being born and raised in the most populous black nation in the world; Nigeria and being involved in advocacy while growing up.
nwaobiala
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Prince George's County | Nigeria/USA
nwaobiala is a Black Nigerian American trans nonbinary creative from Anambra State, Nigeria and Prince George's County, Maryland. As a multi-disciplinary experimental artist, they exist within blurred medium lines, intersecting at photography, digital design, film, painting, poetry, and writing. Wielding art as a catalyst, nwaobiala drives global, Diasporic conversations about African Diasporic queerness, gender identity, fashion and self-expression; Black mental and public health, intergenerational trauma, male preference, history and culture, and everything in between.
Sephora Woldu
Filmmaker
San Francisco | Eritrea/USA
Sephora Woldu is an Eritrean American filmmaker.. Named one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine, her work has gained audiences from the American Film Institute to Eritrean community centers in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Toronto, London, and New York. She is the owner of Abyssurdian Productions, a creative studio based in the Tenderloin of San Francisco, CA.
Sephora received the Emerging Filmmaker Award (Indie Memphis) and the Jury Prize for Bold Innovation (RiverRun International Film Festival) for her debut feature length narrative film, Life is Fare. She is currently developing its prequel, Aliens in Eritrea, with support from FilmHouse (SFFILM) and IFP Week. Her hobbies include dangling out of open windows, extreme journalling, and dreaming about the history/ scheming about the future of Eritrea. She lives in San Francisco with her bright red Castelfidardo accordion (Mushu) because among other things, she is full of surprises
Dom Jones feat. Eric Fells
Musician
Oakland | USA
Dom Jones, from Oakland, CA, is an artist and creative entrepreneur. The Founder and Principal Artist at Dom Empire, she weaves her passion for music, media, and social justice through various projects. An International Songwriting Competition Winner in 2014, Dom released her first album, Wingspan, that same year. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2019 as a dual major in Songwriting and Music Business. Her music has been lauded as a beacon for social change through recognition from Berklee’s Songs for Social Change, BAMS Fest, and she is a 2019 Composer for the Hear Her Song project. Dom’s recent single, “Crazytown,” was featured in the 2020 Grammy U Conference by the Recording Academy. More about her work in music, media, and entrepreneurship can be on her website.
Magati Maosa
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
Magati Maosa (b. 1995, Nairobi) is a Multidisciplinary Artist. His medium; Still, Animation & Gif Art, Painting and Film. Obtaining a Higher National Diploma In Art Graphic Design, Magati has been equipped with skills and practices in digital media that reflect on his style, Surrealism. He explores topics on time, location and his influences are from the cosmopolitan city of Nairobi, Kenya. Magati is currently based and working in Nairobi, Kenya.
Working as a freelance Visual Artist, Magati aims to show relevance to his work with the inclusion of non-binary characters and story telling through the use of exubirant character trates from compositions and ideas.
Following his lead and interest in visual arts, Magati is currently merging photography with motion graphics to help with the interpretation of artworks as a different form of output for my work. As an upcoming visual artist, Magati has been able to collaborate on creative projects as an assistant set designer, Photographer, and Videographer.
Okhiogbe Omonblanks Omonhinmin
Interdisciplinary Artist
Accra | Nigeria
Okhiogbe Omonblanks Omonhinmin is from Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Omonblanks is a creative director, independent cultural producer, creative director. He has 15 years of experience in organizing, producing, and curating cultural projects which includes working with musicians, music production, films, tours, record producers, indie labels, and festivals across various capacities.
Judith Dyeme Daduut
Sculptor/ Installation Artist
Jos, Plateau State| Nigeria
Judith Dyeme Daduut is a young, rising contemporary artist who specializes in sculpture. A Fine Arts graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Master’s degree in Art and Design from Birmingham City University, UK, she has received recognition for her work in by the following body
▪ Winner, Most outstanding lady (category) at the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF) Enugu State (2018).
▪ Winner Best Sculpture/Ceramics /Installation Category at the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF) Enugu State (2017).
▪ She was one of the 25 finalists at the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF) Enugu State (2016).
▪ She won the Ikon Gallery Art Prize for Master’s Degree 2014. Birmingham, UK.
She was one of the 6 artists featured in the Rele Arts Foundation, Young Contemporaries exhibition held at the Rele Arts Gallery in Lagos, Nigeria. She expresses her ideas in various media including but not limited to clay, metal, wood, body filler and fiberglass. With her special interest in mental health, her artwork observes behavioral patterns and creates their symbolic movement. Currently, she teaches Sculpture at the Fine and Applied Arts Department, University of Jos. Plateau State.
Nzinga Bandida
Visual Artist/Filmmaker
Paris | Ivory Coast
Maureen Douabou is an Ivorian-French multidisciplinary artist born in Abidjan and currently based in Paris. She describes herself as a black woman with opinions and feelings and her works aim at exploring black womanhood(s) through the use of different formats and platforms. Her background in translation and interpretation allows her to communicate different object and concepts to diverse audiences and her work with fabrics, textiles and headwraps translates black women experiences in other art forms. She uses the form and function of headwraps and fabrics as well as installations, videos and short movies to explore, communicate and denounce issues that arise.
Adetona Omokanye
Photographer
Lagos | Nigeria
Adetona Omokanye is a graduate of University of Lagos with Masters degree in Marine Pollution and Management. He’s a documentary photographer based in Lagos, Nigeria.
His work navigates and positions at the fore-intertwined relationship between beauty, self-acceptance, politics and environmental pollution.
He attended Foundry Photojournalism Workshop (Vll Academy) In Kigali, Rwanda (2019).
He also attended the Native Creative Lab (2018). Adetona is a member of African Photojournalism Database (APJD), a joint project by the World Press Photo Foundation and Everyday Africa. His works have been published in, magazines and websites such as Getty images, Der Spiegel, Business day, Frankfurter Rundschau, Eater and Weser kurier. Recently , one of his Personal projects-Beyond 4ft 10Inch, won a Getty Images award (2019).
In the pursuit of his career as a story teller , he strongly believes that photography can light up darkness and expose ignorance if a project were properly documented.
Mal The Oddity
Musician, Video Artist
Brooklyn, New York| USA
Mal the Oddity is a songwriter, producer, and video artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Drawing inspiration from hip hop, bedroom pop, and neo-noir films, Mal's work explores love, places, and self-reflection through stories drawn from his lived experience. His songs are the soundtrack to the futuristic cityscape developing around him in NYC, and to the sometimes dystopian digital existence we feel ourselves trapped in, where music helps us to feel real again.
Alexis Alleyne-Caputo
Interdisciplinary Artist
New York/Miami | USA
Alexis Alleyne-Caputo lives and works in Miami, Florida, and New York. She received her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in 2018 from Goddard College and holds a Master of Arts (MA) and Bachelor of Science (BS/MA dual studies) from New York University.
As an award-winning commissioned interdisciplinary artist, her visual narratives include (architecture, mixed media collage, painting, photography, sculpture, and film). The intersections of her artistic practice explore themes of black female identity, black feminisms, critical black studies, oceanic studies, familial and cultural kinship, spirituality, social justice, and art as education and reparations.
Selected Solo Exhibitions are “Colonial Currents: Black Women, Water, Trauma and Baptism”, (2020), “Black Acoustic Narratives”, (2018), “Art Transforming Trauma” (2017). Selected Group Exhibitions are “Bakanal De Afrique” & Afro Urban Society (2020), “Latin American Art Pavilion Project (LAAP) – DOCUMENTA III”, (2019), “Cri de Femmes – Outremer 2019 à’ Paris, A l’ Assemblée Nationale” Paris, France (2019).
She has received fellowships, residencies, and awards from Bakanal De Afrique & Afro Urban Society (2020), Foundation for Contemporary Arts (2020), Yarde Girl PHILANTHROPY-Barbados (2020), UNLIMITED BODIES: PERFORMA Biennial, NY (2019), CATALYST Miami (2019) and the Artist Certificate of Appreciation from the Miami-Dade County Office of The Mayor & County Commissioners (2016).
Damilola Onafuwa
Documentary Photographer
Lagos | Nigeria
Damilola Onafuwa is a documentary storyteller based in Lagos, Nigeria. He focuses on human-interest stories that create consciousness about social issues. His works are geared towards how human cultures are formed and how they shape our perception of the world. He has worked with notable organizations, NGOs and corporations; both locally and internationally. He is a member of APJD (Africa Photo-Journalism Database) and an Associate fellow at The Royal Commonwealth Society. He was a Fellow at Akoma, an African Storytelling Fellowship between 2017-2018 and a Skoll World Forum Fellow in 2019. He is the founder of StoryMaxima, a brand creating innovative stories for organizations, while training young photographers, filmmakers and storytellers and also encouraging them to share their stories.