Artista Amarela Ivorian/French entrepreneur Alice Gbelia was looking for art to decorate her home – she wanted specifically art that referenced her African heritage and represented Black Pop Culture. As she couldn’t find a website that offered what she was looking for, she decided to create a platform that represented and offered art and designs by Black artists. And thus Ayok’a – meaning welcome in Alice’s local language in Ivory Coast – was born end of 2017. “The black community is full of talent. I’ve made it a mission to help shine a light on this talent.” Ayok’a is not…
Author: MsK NY
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A couple of weeks ago I went to a Pop-up by “Colored Girls Hustle” in Brooklyn. At the event I came across the visual artist Makeba “KEEBS” Rainey and her beautiful collages of Black Icons. Find out more about the artist whose purpose is to “create art for Black People”. APiF: Please introduce your brand. Makeba “KEEBS” Rainey: I am a visual artist. My art merges the old with the new by re-envisioning the ancestors through new media. I am known for creating digital collage portraits of contemporary and historical Black icons. APiF: What inspired you to create your…
APiF: Please introduce yourself. Moulaye Taboure: I am Moulaye one of the co-founders of Afrikrea. I am a young Malian and grew up in Bamako. I studied and worked in Paris for 10 years, and now I am back living on the African continent – currently in Abidjan. APiF: What is your cultural heritage and how does that inspire you? Moulaye: I am lucky to have grown up amidst my culture, but even luckier to have realized afterwards just how much it was appreciated outside of Africa. That propelled me to show all the diversity born from our…
Traveling Africa is trending. In the last two years, I have noticed travel groups and organizations popping up that are focused on delivering a unique Africa travel experience. Several of these travel groups are black-owned, which is great! Musesuniform in Kenya They all emphasize different aspects: some are about diving into he glitz and glam of big African cities like Accra and exploring the hottest restaurants and coolest bars or attend art festivals like Chale Wote. Others focus on sporty activities like hiking and climbing. Some travel groups are all about the educational/cultural aspect of traveling, others are more about…
APiF: Please introduce yourself. Nana Amu: I am a Ghanaian global nomad, an eclectic mix of cultural and creative influences. My father was a diplomat, representing Ghana in various countries around the world. I was exposed to a rich tapestry of cultures and variety of art forms in Australia, Italy and the UK where I grew up and developed a passion for art. I taught for 18 years at Ghana International School, teaching a range of subjects from English and Math to Art, before working as the PR Lead for an international marketing company and finally working on my own.…
Inspired by the 1930s is the ready-to-wear Spring 2019 collection by Nigerian designer Duro Olowu – mixed with a lot of bold flower prints and stripes. I love how the stripes and prints are being combined in some of the looks. The look with the short jacket over the dress almost looks vintage. I could totally wear this already now in Fall, I would just add some heavier jackets and boots to make it work. Also: I love! the short cropped Afro of the model. There has not been a collection yet by this designer, that I didn‘t like. See…
South Sudanese photographer Atong Atem creates with her studio series an homage to African Studio photography. Living in Australia, she placed her friends into the context of elements from their culture/heritage, that they have been displaced from. In her own words: ‘There is something important about being able to take our icons and visual language and to hold onto them and say “this is mine” and truly feel it.’ The title Third Culture Kids refers to kids from migrants that grow up far away from their parent‘s country of origin. I really like this term and image of a 3rd culture…
ÖVERALLT = Everywhere is the name of the long-awaited collection by IKEA in collaboration with several African Designers. The sneak peek has me excited, and I need to get my hands on the rug as well as the bench. The limited edition includes larger pieces of furniture, tableware, textiles, and a sustainable tote bag, to name a few. Not sure about the title of the collection ÖVERALLT = Everywhere. Design is everywhere? Africa is everywhere?… But I do like a lot of the designs! Here is a sneak peek of some of the 33 pieces that will be available.Which…
Lamp by Modern Gesture APiF: Please introduce your brand.Nana Quagraine: 54kibo is a new lifestyle brand and e-commerce destination for a carefully selected array of contemporary African design for home, children, and accessories. We’ve been working on the concept for 54kibo since late 2017, with the site launching late 2018. 54 is the number of countries in Africa – Kibo is the highest summit on the continent, on Kilimanjaro – to us, 54kibo symbolizes the height of African design. APiF: What motivated and inspired you to start 54Kibo?Nana: While I now live in Brooklyn, I spent time commuting (yes, commuting!)…