Continuing to explore the intersections between illustration, commerce and digital spaces, we see once again how art is fast becoming one of the most dynamic forms of sociopolitical and cultural expression. With more tools readily available to support peoples’ desire to speak their minds, artists are being called upon to do more and say more with their work.
We’re ardent proponents of this movement and in particular, we’re unapologetic supporters of the ongoing emergence of African and African diaspora based creatives in this space. As with many other things where change, equality of opportunity and fairness have been demanded, our collective push for better has yet to be globally accepted but it remains our mandate to not only seek a balanced, merit based system but also the freedom and ability of our artists to speak freely through their work and offer their unique perspectives about the conditions around them. Much more to come.
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#art #illustrators #africanillustrators #art #iLLUSTRA8
On Friday Oct. 27th at 2pm EST, the iLLUSTRA8 ART AGENCY will host one of the year’s most anticipated exhibitions yet! Featuring award winning Nigerian artist @iamjopeedairo , the exhibition is entitled ‘UNMUTED’ and highlights works which stand as a powerful visual commentary on the need to decolonize global mindsets about Africa while simultaneously rewriting prevalent but glaringly incorrect narratives about the Continent.
Curated by @misspaulajewell and to be held in the Agency’s i8 Gallery, UNMUTED will be presented in 3D / VR; a format which allows guests to create their own avatar to attend the Exhibition or use a Virtual Reality headset to enjoy a completely immersive digital experience.
Boldly striking and unapologetically expressive, UNMUTED continues Dario’s body of work which combines digital art and hand held photography to create stunning images with strong cultural resonance and opinionated socio-political messaging. This is an Exhibition not to be missed!
DM the word ‘UNMUTED’ now to register.
Monday Oct. 27th at 2pm EST, the iLLUSTRA8 ART AGENCY will host one of the year’s most anticipated exhibitions yet! Featuring award winning Nigerian artist @iamjopeedairo , the exhibition is entitled ‘UNMUTED’ and highlights works which stand as a powerful visual commentary on the need to decolonize global mindsets about Africa while simultaneously rewriting prevalent but glaringly incorrect narratives about the Continent.
Curated by @misspaulajewell and to be held in the Agency’s i8 Gallery, UNMUTED will be presented in 3D / VR; a format which allows guests to create their own avatar to attend the Exhibition or use a Virtual Reality headset to enjoy a completely immersive digital experience.
Boldly striking and unapologetically expressive, UNMUTED continues Dario’s body of work which combines digital art and hand held photography to create stunning images with strong cultural resonance and opinionated socio-political messaging. This is an Exhibition not to be missed!
DM @_illustra8 with the word ‘UNMUTED’ now to register.
Shot 📸 by @wid.e.e.yes
THE LIONS HAVE BEGUN TO WRITE! 🚀🔥
One ancestor I’d love to drop a DM is the Great Chinua Achebe and it would just be a statement “Sir, the lions have finally learnt and begun to write”.
And the effect of that is every story no longer has to glorify the hunter.
If you grabbed none of that, you might need a softcopy edition of the old book ‘Things Fall Apart’.
Anyways, this post should have titled SOMETHING HUGE IS ON THE WAY’ 😊 but I love depth more than marketing.
The week went well and we are aiming the stars @_illustra8 .
Thanks to the brilliant @wid.e.e.yes for an amazing recorded session 📸.
Kudos to @oge_omotee for designing my trousers. ✌️
Keep following the narratives. 🚶♂️
#TheFutureisBlack
#WereTheCulture
From the artistry of @j.folorunso . Stunning.
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LEAD ME TO THE RIGHT PATH
‘Lead me to the right path’ is a 28*36 inches oil painting depicting a subject having a sort of religious cleansing or baptism.
Inherently this piece is a silent prayer to God, Allah or whatever higher powers the subject believes in, to guide his actions to right outcomes, and keep him from straying into the path of evil people and ventures that’ll lead to harm or exploit him.
You can call ‘Lead me to the right path’ a spiritual baptism or fortification if you believe in that sort of thing.
#oilpainting #oil #oiloncanvas #hyperrealismpainting #hyperrealism #artcollector #artgallery #black #dopeblackart #bbcnews #art #buynow #artlover #love #africanart #artcurator #nigerianartist #black #hope #emergingartist #nationalmuseum
Well, it’s Friday and while this post isn’t specifically about illustration, it IS a piece which we hope inspires thought about how illustration and creative derivatives can be parts of other disciplines such as interior design. Here, @malene.barnett (founder of @badguild ) discusses a recent project and the inspiration behind it.
What would global brand products look like if they were more culturally aware and integrated aesthetically into the psychography of various consumer markets? Here, as a part of his Unmuted Africa initiative, @iamjopeedairo envisions the iconic @monsterenergy can with new (and might we say, stunning!) graphics.
While adapting packaging for different markets can be costly, ample evidence exists to show that creating deeper cultural relevance to and relationships with consumers in different markets based upon customized packaging can deliver much greater revenue.
It can be said (and we believe rightfully so), that ‘culture’ is not static but evolutionary. While it relies upon deeply rooted social, political, religious and societal foundations, culture both influences and draws from the shifting perspectives and habits of people who by definition, are ever changing in the way they relate to and profoundly impact the world around them. Here, the quietly outspoken @leankid casts his artistic gaze on the changing face of Nigerian rulers over time. We encourage you to check his IG for the full review.
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Future Kings: Emir of Kano
Royalty meets Technology - A tribute to the regal essence, culture, and the evolving spirit of the Nigerian traditional ruler.
I explored many design variations for this piece, the last few slides showcase some of the directions I took
#naija #FutureKings #emirofkano #Afrofuturism #NaijaArt #Royalty #north #Digitalart #Leankid #creative #traditional
