Institute of Black Imagination.
Aesthetics.
The art of living. There is fashion, and then there is style. There is function, and then there is
form. Tapping into archival intelligence and ancestral knowledge, black aesthetics exist beyond
space and time. Like one’s seat of consciousness, it is always present, past and future; it flows
like a river. Some would call it…current. Like the energy that powers our household, it is a force
full of potentially, always ready to be switched on.
A way of seeing. A way of being.
The Hair Appointment.
A campaign and installation that showcases global Black Hair. The conversation surrounding natural hair braiding within the black community continues to decline, as less and less media channels cater to the black hair experience without misleading audiences.
The Psychology of Skin with Rose Ingleton M.D.
Episode 20. This discussion covers Dr Ingleton's culture shock upon arriving in the United States as a teenager, the power of intention and goal-setting, the dangers of skin bleaching, and why it’s important to pay attention to your body, even when you think you have it all. Recorded remotely, this in-depth, and at times emotional, interview will inspire you to never give up on your dreams and never give up on yourself.
T.J. Walker of Cross Colours.
Episode 01. This conversation discusses TJ’s path from a farm in Mississippi to designing for one of the most profitable Black businesses of his time, how he actually got those clothes on Will Smith, why their slogan, “Clothing without Prejudice” still resonates 2 decades later, and a new initiative he’s started with costume designer Ruth Carter, who most recently won the Academy Award for her costume design for Marvel’s Black Panther.
Igi Ayedum.
Igi Ayedun , multimedia artist and Founder of HOA, Art Gallery - an interdigital cultural center focused on the promotion and sale of Latin American artists. HOA is the 1ST black-owned art gallery from brazilian history of art. Part of HOA TOUR, an artist-led arts organization based in São Paulo, Brasil, founded in 2020 by Igi Lola Ayedun dedicated to latin-american contemporary art.
Mastering Your Craft with Bespoke Tailor, T-Michael.
Episode 17. Explores the journey of bespoke tailor and designer, T-Michael. Born in Accra, Ghana, T-Michael spent the majority of his adolescence in London, later moving to Bergen, Norway. Operating from the philosophy of mastering one’s craft before achieving success;
Andre Leon Talley, Fashion Icon (part one)
Episode 13. This discussion covers Andre’s life in the Jim Crow South, his introduction into America’s upper class at Brown University, and how fashion served as armor to shield him from his serial childhood sexual abuse.
Kyle Abraham, Choreographer.
Episode 14. Recorded safely and remotely, this conversation explores Kyle’s journey to dance, how he deals with his own insecurities, what it’s like being fired by one of your heroes, how to balance empathy and ambition, and his journey back to dance after an extended hiatus.
The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion.
Photography between Art and Fashion presents fifteen artists, whose vibrant portraits and conceptual images fuse the genres of art and fashion photography in ways that break down long-established boundaries. Visit the website.
Twin Shadow.
George Lewis Jr. (born March 30, 1983), better known by his stage name Twin Shadow, is a Dominican-American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor based out of Los Angeles, California. He has released five studio albums to date: Forget (2010), Confess (2012), Eclipse (2015), Caer (2018), and Twin Shadow (2021).
The African Futures Institute.
The African Futures Institute (AFI), headquartered in Accra, Ghana, is a new venture in architectural education that aims to offer a radically different and innovative educational experience to Ghanaian, African and international students, as well as provide an important platform for conversations, exhibitions and publications on architecture and related disciplines.
Salooni.
Salooni is a multidisciplinary art project that posits black hair practices as systems of knowledge through which culture and survivalist strategies are passed from generation to generation. What practices of self-care and love have been replicated and shared by Black girls and women in the styling and braiding of their hair? What collective and individual traumas have we endured and perpetuated as a result of rejection from Western hegemonic cultures, and in our own attempts to conform and survive a world in which beauty standards are dictated by Caucasian culture? Created by four Ugandan women, through short film, live art performances, theatre and photography.
Cedric Mizero.
Cedric Mizero is a Rwandan multidisciplinary artist. “His work has the ability to collapse the local and the global into a message that is universal and deeply human. He communicates complex narratives through the medium of clothes and their practice is truly multidisciplinary – across photography, film, spatial installation, fashion and object.” — International Fashion Showcase for the Special Mention Curation Award.
Megan Gabrielle Harris.
Megan Gabrielle Harris is a multi-disciplinary artist from Sacramento, California. Her work comes from fashion photography, surreal landscapes and natural forms, stemming from her experiences working as a model for over ten years. Women of color are the primary focus in her work. She uses vibrant and rich color palettes in an attempt to create a light and airy atmosphere for her subjects, while depicting these female figures as independent and powerful which is the perception she has of the women in her community. 
Marché Noir Lomé - Paris.
Marché Noir, is a vintage and housewares boutique in France. Togolese and French creative Amah Ayivi takes the vintage clothing from the floor to the showrooms. He scouts the discarded clothing Europe sends it to West Africa, reimagines it with a new point of view, and sells it in the streets of Paris.
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (Original Cast Album).
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) in the context of contemporary African-American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974, at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, and moved to Broadway's Majestic Theatre with a new cast on January 5, 1975. The 1975 Broadway production won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It was an early example of Broadway's mainstream acceptance of works with an all-black cast.
Josephine Baker: a Bobino 1975.
By the time she made her final appearance at the Bobino Theatre, fifty years after her Paris debut, Baker had suffered several heart attacks and strokes but could still summon the energy to perform on stage. The Bobino performance was an autobiographical production in which she traced her career from its humble beginnings. She danced the Charleston and drove a motorcycle across the stage in a white motorcycle outfit and cap. The audience, stunned and amazed by her accomplishments and talent, gave her roaring ovations.
Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind.
Music of My Mind is the fourteenth studio album by American soul musician Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 3, 1972, by Tamla Records, and was Wonder's first to be recorded under his new contract with Motown, which allowed him full artistic control.
Aretha Franklin: This Girl's In Love With You.
This Girl's in Love with You is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on January 15, 1970 by Atlantic Records. It reached Billboard's Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in 1993. Her version of The Beatles' "Let It Be" was the first recording of the song to be commercially issued (The Beatles did not release "Let It Be" as a single until March 1970).
Lorna Simpson: Collages.
Using advertising photographs of black women (and men) drawn from vintage issues of Ebony and Jet magazines, the exquisite and thought-provoking collages of world-renowned artist Lorna Simpson explore the richly nuanced language of hair. Surreal coiffures made from colorful ink washes, striking geological formations from old textbooks, and other unexpected forms and objects adorn the models to mesmerizingly beautiful effect.
Delphine Diallo.
A Brooklyn-based French and Senegalese visual artist and photographer. Sought to challenge the norms of our society, Diallo immerses herself in the realm of anthropology, mythology, religion, science and martial arts to release her mind. Her work takes her to far remote areas, as she insists on spending intimate time with her subjects to better able represent their most innate energy “I treat my process as if it were an adventure liberating a new protagonist” — Diallo’s powerful portraitures unmask and stir an uninhibited insight that allows her audience to see beyond the facade.
Vince Fraser.
A digital illustrator for over twenty years in the creative industry, Fraser sees himself as a new breed of artist in the digital age, combining a variety of skills including graphic and motion design. With a keen eye for detail, Fraser brings together playful experimentation and boundary-pushing visuals to create his unique art. Bridging the gap between fantasy and reality, Fraser's mission is to share positive images of the African diaspora. Visit the website.
Jennifer Packer.
Jennifer Packer creates portraits, interior scenes, and still lifes that suggest a casual intimacy. Packer views her works as the result of an authentic encounter and exchange. The models for her portraits—commonly friends or family members—are relaxed and seemingly unaware of the artist’s or viewer’s gaze.
