THE OCEAN AFRICAN

Mabru Rodrigues | GLAM
Brazilian photographer Mabru Rodrigues returns with a glamour-inspired editorial for Ocean Africa celebrating the joy of youth and the experimental freedom that comes with the discovery of self expression. With the use of matching accessories, comfortable, trendy t-shirts and chic 80s two-piece suits, GLAM is a colourful and cheerful series…

Mohamed Lewis x Drew Botcherby | INDIVIDUALITY AND REBELLION
Growing up in modern Africa is challenging enough. Adding religion, with all its rigorous systems of designated behaviors, practices, morals, ethics and world views can, at times, be quite exasperating especially to a whole generation engaged in a globalised online community. Model, designer and academic, Mohamed Lewis was born in…

DE KROON | Robin Ramos & Kymani Ceder
By Vanessa Kanaiza The relationship between Africans and their afro-textured hair is evolving and is fascinating to experience as well as observe. Social media has given us a safe space to document our natural hair journey as well as connect with a global community on their journeys. One year ago,…

Idara Ekpoh | Golden
Nigerian-American portrait photographer and creative entrepreneur Idara Ekpoh’s primary mission is to help create a space for marginalised groups, specifically women of colour, to share their stories and increase their visibility in society. Capturing stark portraits which act as stimulating visual accompaniments to her storytelling, Ekpoh brings to the fore,…

Oghalé Ogbaudu | The Other Brother
Nigerian-American photographer Oghalé Ogbaudu’s project entitled ‘The Other Brother’ celebrates the bond of black brotherhood. It speaks of an unspoken bond between black men, ever-present maugre city, country or continent. The topic of black brotherhood is often overlooked in favour of more damaging stereotypes that we see perpetuated in popular…

Mabru Rodrigues | Renaissance
The vibrant culture in Rio de Janeiro is a melting pot of creativity, sun and samba. The people of Brazil delight in self expression which has seen them adored by people the world over. But like everything that gleams, there is always a dark underbelly. Few artists capture the growing…

Karesse Irina Mbourou | Body Is Attraction
Gabonese photographer Karesse Irina Mbourou paints the Parisian skyline with shades of pink as black bodies curl and entwine. Inspired by the continent of Africa, culture and the black skin colour, the Libreville-educated photographer speaks proudly about being African, “It’s the real definition of beauty. Life is creative. The plurality…

Neo Gilder | Rwandan Futures
Rwanda has made astounding leaps into the future. After the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi and Twa that killed over a million people; arguably the most brutal atrocity in modern-day Africa by Africans, Rwanda has made incredible strides developing as a nation. A national ban on plastic since 2008;…

Charlotte Chambers | Ethiopia: A Land of Natural Contrast
Nestled in the Horn of Africa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is world renowned as one of Africa’s true gems. With thick forests, cascading rivers and large mountain ranges creating habitats for a vast range of unique flora and fauna indigenous to these lands. It is certainly no surprise…

Yasmin Nicholas | BWAPEN
Yasmin Nicholas is a British contemporary artist specialising in mixed media including painting, photography and poetry. Born in 1994, the London based artist is a third generation Caribbean (Dominican and St Lucian descent), citing her grandparents, originating from Dominica as a major influence on her work, embracing her heritage and…

Munyaradzi Chidakwa | Heavenly Havana
Summer may be over but that doesn’t mean one cannot search for a pocket of sun across the globe. That is exactly what Zimbabwean photographer Munyaradzi Chidakwa had in mind, escaping the European winter chill in favour of the tropical old world aesthetic of the Cuban capital, La Habana. With…

Zarita Zevallos | Imperium
The bold and dynamic series Imperium by Zarita Zevallos celebrates black skin in a raw and organic setting. Using a clean white backdrop, the subject stretches and flexes as glimmering glass shards and golden sands are splayed across, creating a richly woven, near Adamic celebration of the origin of man.…

My summer 2018 was: vibrant, revolutionary and anything but the norm!
by Damilola Ayo-Vaughan Notting Hill Carnival, 2018, Tino Chiwariro The days are getting shorter, the nights chillier — summer has finally come to an end. Whether you got a summer job, travelled to new places, partied on the streets of Notting Hill during carnival, or felt under the weather, summer…

Manic & Magnetic: Shingai Owns The Albany
words and images by Damilola Ayo-Vaughan Standing in the middle of the Albany, a packed; newly refurbished south London venue, gripping my camera, I am filled with the excitement and the familiar dread that comes with the anticipation of watching star perform for the first time. Shingai Shoniwa towers above,…

Bissau Bonito | Vibrant scenes from the West African city
The West African country of Guinea Bissau is known for its natural tropical beauty. Lush, verdant forests create a rich habitat for a bevy of wildlife such as saltwater hippo, marine turtle and chimpanzee. Its thick-forested; sparsely populated Bijagós archipelago is a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve. The mainland capital of…

Zimbabwean-born singer-songwriter and poet RUE shifts moods in urban dreamscape in short film ‘The Winter Collection’
Earlier this year, multi-talented Zimbabwean-born singer-songwriter and poet RUE contributed poetry works for the groundbreaking SISTA! - an anthology of writings on same-gender love between women of African and Caribbean descent, including bi, queer, non-binary women. ‘The Summer Collection’ was the last EP that RUE released in late 2016. She…

Printmaking & stamp making with George Petsikopoulos
Visual artist George Petsikopoulos held a three-day printmaking and stamp-making workshop at Mile End Park Art Pavilion in East London inviting parents and children to work on unfamiliar crafts. The Greek artist worked with children of all ages, piquing their curiosity; sharing with them the basics of his technique and…

Inviting, Welcoming & Warm: BBZ & SYFU’s Alternative Graduate Show
By Damilola Ayo-Vaughan Being a student of colour in an overseas art institution can be a very isolating experience. It can be draining to cover a syllabus largely non-reflective of your history and be tutored by teachers of dissimilar educational orientation. To this extent, attending an arts event featuring works…

60 Seconds with Tina Ramos Ekongo
Tina Ramos Ekongo is an Equatorial-Guinean artist whose works celebrate feminism and the strength of womanhood. The Manchester-based artist shared delicate acrylic portraits celebrating the rich diversity and cultural vibrance of African women with us. Educated at the School of Art Zaragoza, Murcia and Valencia, Spain and Sheffield Hallam University,…

Mary Obando | Women’s Geometry
Capturing the enigmatic and mysterious, Colombian photographer Mary Obando’s visual exploits invite us into her fantasy world of realism and Dali-esque metaphors. Stemming from a world of quirky visions, Obando aims to seduce, amuse and entertain audiences with her surreal images as previously executed in photographic projects such as Rituals…

Zarita Zevallos | Kòktèl
Haitian photographer and architect Zarita Zevallos unleashes a powerful photographic series celebrating identity and modern masculinity. Having been taught the intricacies of photography by her father, the New York based Haitian architect and photographer has grown a name for herself, tackling tough social issues such as modern gender roles, alienation,…

Murjoni Merriweather | A Love of Clay
Our radar sits comfortably on Baltimore native Murjoni Merriweather - a sculptor who creates clay and ceramic works revolving around African-American culture. Merriweather’s work bases itself on the self-love, self acceptance and self discovery of African-Americans. Citing her influences on communities, people of colour, black bodies and black hair, the…

Shawn Theodore | ‘Church of Broken Pieces’ Exhibition Précis
By Niama Safia Sandy Shawn Theodore’s Church of Broken Pieces is a photographic exploration of the psychic, physical and technological translocation of black America. Theodore’s photographs document the success of the movements toward plural black identities, and free, safe black digital spaces and futures - even as displacement/gentrification, socio-economic disparity…