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Some of my favourite poster quotes from the “28 Days, 28 Photos - Celebrating Black History Month!” series from Because of Them We Can by Eunique Jones.  

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Interview Feature: Illustrations by 92 Aesthetics.

Though she’s only recently began exploring her illustration skills, Niesha, the name and face behind these vibrant Afro-Pop Art works, seems to have already found a signature style in an art movement usually dominated by white artists and featuring white subjects in the Western world.

Attracted to her fun and culturally relevant pieces, we had a quick chat with Niesha about her journey in illustration and pop art so far.

Before we get into your art, can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in illustration?

I’m a 22 year old student who’s majoring in Graphic Design. I changed my major many times before I finally found the right field for me. I’m new to Illustrating but I have a strong desire to grow and I’m always seeking more knowledge as a result.

How did the name ‘92 Aesthetics’ come about?

I was born in 1992 on the 29th day of January. So, I thought 9-2 would be great numbers to use. As for ‘Aesthetics’, it can be defined as “a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art”. The part of that description that I love is, “appreciation of beauty”, because I find beauty in so many things, be it music, dance, film, etc.

No artist is without inspiration and from what we’ve seen of your work, a lot of it is rooted in black popular culture. Can you expand on that?

I’m inspired by so many people! Beyoncè, Oprah, the creators of ‘& Sexy TV’, Issa Rae, Janelle Monae, and many others. Anyone who’s achieved success by being true to themselves and having a strong work ethic inspires me. I’m proud of the work that I’ve done this far, but I have so much more to learn. I hope to also create art in other mediums as well. 

Being new to illustration, how have you gone about finding your niche? Is there a specific approach that you’d use to describe your art?

I’d describe my art as colorful and fun. I really love Pop Art, and I plan to further incorporate that into my work. I’m still experimenting and discovering my own personal style. 

Your Solange piece (pictured above) instantly caught my eye when it appeared on my dashboard, I’ve even made it my desktop background. Not to mention the amount of attention it’s received on the site. You must be thrilled about that!

I’m overwhelmed and very grateful for the response that I’ve gotten from this piece. I decided to make it because I was listening to “Losing You” and watching Solange perform it over and over again. I just couldn’t get enough of it and wanted to make an illustration that reflected the good feelings that the song gave me. 

It took me a long time to complete it because I was learning my way around Illustrator, and still am. When I initially posted it a couple of weeks ago, it got very little attention. But after submitting it to a few art blogs on Tumblr, all of sudden I began seeing it all over! 

Lastly, you offer the option of making custom illustrations for people and also sell your finished pieces. How do people connect with you, if interested?

For prints, you can visit this site. Otherwise, you can find me on Tumblr, Facebook and Instagram. Alternatively, people are welcome to email me at: 92aesthetics@gmail.com. 

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Soundcloud | Mixcloud

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🌴metaphysical goddess🌴

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Velaphi Mzimba

Country: Republic of South Africa

Style: Realism/Portraiture

Medium: Acrylic/Mixed Media

Fun Fact:

Although he was deeply involved in the struggle for liberation against apartheid, his work shows no hint of anger or pain. Instead his paintings have an infectious optimism that warms all viewers. This richness of spirit combined with an extraordinary technical virtuosity has no doubt led to the success that he has experienced over the last few years.

Quote:

Having recently turned his hand to sculpting, Mzimba brings the same fascination with the wholesomeness of the everyday. His one-man show in Cape Town of his first bronzes was an exciting departure for the artist, the development of which we have watched with growing intrigue.

Paintings

1. MAKHADZI

2. Soccer Queen

3. Untitled

4. Mrs Ntsanwisi

5. Untitled I

6. Untitled II

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1. War Witch (Congo) 2. The Stoning of Soraya M (Iranian) 3. Bliss (Turkey) 4. Salt of the Sea (Palestinian) 5. Lucky (South African) 6. I Am Slave (Sudan/London) 7. Malena (Italian) 8. In the Land of Blood and Honey (Bosnia) 9. Mother of George (Nigeria/USA) 10. Y Tu Mama...

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🙌🙌🙌 #AngeliqueKidjo #LaCigale #MamaAfrica 🎶🎶🎵🎶 #HelloBenin

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Key & Peele - Obama Meet & Greet

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Anciennes cartes postales montrant le village lacustre de Ganvié situé au sud du Bénin (ex-Dahomey), sur le lac Nokoué.

Certains l’appellent “la Venise africaine”..

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#Cotonou from our windows…rusty charm! #Benin #nofilter (at EtriLabs: TechHub By ETRI BENIN)

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http://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/into-africa/

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