Graphic Design
Amanda Puna is a Swiss artist and Laureate graduate from the Ecole Cantonale des Arts de Lausanne (ECAL). Originally from Angola, she arrived in Switzerland at the age of three with her parents when they fled their motherland. Raised in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Amanda has a Swiss mentality, an Angolese heart and a transnational spirit channelled into her artistic practice.
Amanda was drawn to graphism because of her passion to help people through digital creation. In her commissions, she utilises her art as a way to carry people’s ideas further.
Her patience and empathy allow her to discover, comprehend, and channel thoughts into visual stories. Her vocation of spokesperson is also visible in her personal compositions. Not only she offers part of herself to the audience but most certainly spark societal reflections to whom most relate.
Plurality is at the core of Amanda’s work, contrasting the visible and the hidden Amanda desires to tell the stories we care about but do yet not know, stories we walk past everyday on our way home but do not stop to listen to. Unique and multifaceted, she represents the delicate blend of a diverse society in constant transformation, seeking for clarity.
Photography
Nana Frimpong Oduro is a Ghanaian artist born just outside of Accra in the city of Tema. Nana’s story is that of connection, relationships, and acceptance.
From his favourite paintings, depicting the connection between humans and God, to his relationship to his craft, a connection between the outside and the inside, Nana embraces the world around him to create what he himself cannot sometimes comprehend alone.
Timid yet conscious and audacious, Nana designs his artworks as a medium of digestion and overcoming emotions. Having his friends as models allows his artistic process to be playful and communal, his pictures to be raw and personal, and his imagination to spur from within to blend into the other. The result, powerful and gaudy emotions embedded in colourful and relatable compositions.
Fluid and mirroring, Nana’s pieces serve as a therapy for his soul, stirring up emotions for him to face and accept them as a relic of the past influencing his future. They serve as an invitation to connect with oneself, which is the epitome and purpose of Nana’s work. Acting as a beacon of light, Nana's paintings gently guided him back home to himself- and may they, with all authenticity, guide others back to theirs.
Instagram: @frizzlemadeit
Photography
Leaving London for Colombia, Theo taught himself how to use a camera to communicate with people whose language he could not speak. In this way, photography became the tool by which he was able to have meaningful conversations with people about their lives and that helped him to understand his new surroundings. Through his pictures, he tells stories that unite humanity, stories that respect the people in them and that remind us that we are all one.
His philosophy in life is that the greatest luxury in life is the luxury of simplicity. These values are carried through to his photography combining minimalism with a timeless monochromatic style. His preferred black-and-white aesthetic is a metaphor for life as he believes the world is not binary but rather plays out in shades of grey.
Theo’s work is constantly evolving. While his early work reflects his pursuits to interpret the world around him, his work morphed into more of an understanding of himself and how he fits into society as a whole.
Website: https://theogould.com/
Instagram: @theogould
Fashion Design
"House of Izo"
HOUSE OF IZO aims to embrace gender fluidity and unisexuality through fashion.
The brand strives towards embracing sustainability by its use of deadstock where organic fabric is unattainable, alongside an in depth consideration of a luxury bespoke tailoring process to avoid unethical labour
The founder, Isabel Obichere is of a Guyanese, Nigerian and British descent, and uses her cultural identity and personal experience as an ethnic minority individual to inspire her designs. She aims to reflect her experiences through her works in attempt to stimulate a response from her audience that could subsequently inspire new conversational topics through clothing.
Instagram: @houseofizo
AI Art
Heidi Chattun grew up in Mauritius and is now based in London.
Her AI designs have appeared in various platforms, including The Immersive Kind Gallery, Women in Blockchain Talks and Female Tech Leaders Magazine.
Being a Web3 enthusiast, Heidi spends her day as the Customer Success Manager at Verisart working closely with customers to ensure they are satisfied with the services and is studying her MSc FinTech at University of Westminster where she is enjoying learning about the evolution of technology in the financial market.
As the Head of Brand Awareness and Community at Dall-E Dreams, the goal is to spread her love of AI by allowing everyone to generate their ideas into art pieces.
Heidi also founded Dexen, her passion project where she is building a digital furniture store in the metaverse.
She enjoys engaging with the London community and learning about the projects in the space as a Member of Maison Dao and Ambassador of All Stars Women Dao.
Instagram: @fintechwithheidi
Grafiti Art
Bankslave is a graffiti artist from Kibera Kenya, born in one the biggest slum in Africa Bankslave's art is his pledge of hope for a better future.
As long as he can remember, he was artistic. Starting drawing at 7, trading illustrated figures at 10, and calligraphing at 15 for his friends to impress their school crush, he consistently improved his craft. Building confidence and expertise by exploring multiple mediums such as canvases, and clothing, Bankslave found a passion for wall art; an underappreciated rejuvenation of dull concrete.
Bankslave got spotted because young rappers shot a video clip in front of his early work. The viewers, intrigued by the background, rapidly recognized the artistic nature of the Graffiti and started asking for the artist. While commissions would lead him into unknown artistic territories and help him expand his horizons, it was only a way for him to pursue his his self-constructed pieces, exploring topics close to his heart.
Rapidly Bankslave got recognised for his thoughtful and inspirational murals. Contemplative and generous, he chose to express his art in public sites for the passer-by to reflect on current matter and challenge the status quo. His gigantic artworks, illustrating athletes, politicians, or major events in Kenya, stamp the minds because they suggest that even when people feel small, their strength can be monumental and their action inspire many.
In an artistic practice where anyone can spray over one’s artwork, Bankslave has fostered a culture of respect and collaboration between Graffiti artists around the world to see his pieces inspire people around Kenya, Denmark, Germany for more than 15 years.
Instagram: @bankslave
