8 More Local Black Artists You Should Be Following
By Vancouver Magazine /
We’re grateful to have these artists on our radar for upcoming shows, events, and exhibits— thanks to everyone who works to shine a spotlight on our local talent, now and in the future. Now, if you haven’t already: hit that follow button, stream those songs, buy those commissions, hire these artists.
@tjolaku
Tolu Olaku is a Nigerian photographer based in Vancouver. His mechanical and organic lens is inspired by movies and high fashion. You can find his work in his website and buy them on Displate. He’s the photographer behind the header image on this post (and in frame is Ariella Horvath, who you might recognize from last week’s story).
Mikhail Morris is an International Jamaican Cultural Ambassador, lecturer on the history and culture of Dancehall at SFU, and an international dancer and choreographer. He was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica is based in Vancouver. Morris co-owns and directs Ketch Di Vybz Production Company, an organization that uses education, history, and dance to connect and educate folks on the cultures of Jamaica and the African Diaspora. He’s covering topics like allyship, cultural appreciation, diversity, identity and history in upcoming webinars; find more info here.
Faith Aziz is a first generation Canadian, and she only started to feel in touch with her African culture a few years ago. “I definitely overcompensate for that shamelessly,” she says. She’s influenced by athletics, aesthetics, and Black culture, and combines those and other inspirations into her work: “Think African – but make it fashion. Or sporty, or gothic. The possibilities are endless.” You can find it all on her Instagram—new snapshots and more coming this summer.
Adhel is a multidisciplinary artist and model. Her film Who Am I? explores her quest for identity as she reconciles with my mother’s past as a child soldier. The 21-minute production won awards at the Vancouver Short Film Festival and at the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival. She’s an “artivist,” and uses her work to shift the white gaze.
Aurora Allen is mixed media artist and sculptor. She has no knowledge of her Black history, so when she went to school at UVic, she was inspired her to focus her thesis in art and art history on learning about her ancestors through artistic expression and research. She’s taking commissions (and also writing her licensing to become an RMT).
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