Nigerian Artist, Ayo Sanusi, Empowers Black Women Through Virtual Exhibition Titled 'Womanly'
In this age of virtual normativity and the digitization of everyday life, the dearth in cultural nourishment that comes from soul-lifting activities like art exhibitions with strong political undertones (which serve as propaganda for causes of the greater good) has left some of us feeling deeply uninspired and demotivated to 'do something' about the societal vices that plague our communities and people like Gender Inequality.
Specific vices like gender discrimination, oppression and violence that create an imbalance in the rights, livelihood and opportunities for women around the world (especially women of color), require continuous and unrelenting activism/advocacy through art, culture and the economics of things to be curtailed and extinguished.
Responding to this gap in spiritual/cultural nourishment and motivation for activism, young, Nigerian, female Virtual Creative Journalist, Illustrator, Visual Artist and Activist, Ayo Sanusi launched a ground-breaking virtual exhibition celebrating Neo-modern narratives of change for African women titled 'Womanly'.
According to the artist, "Womanly is a collection of artworks celebrating narratives of West African femininity. From casual anecdotes to historical events, each piece in this collection presents a story about the intersectional experience of being feminine (as opposed to female) and of African descent" Sanusi explains describing the collection.
"Womanly is titled after “Womanism”- a social movement dedicated to empowering black women in ways that mainstream feminism does not. Besides a visual experience, this exhibition is intended to be educational and thought-provoking, we truly hope you enjoy it!" Ayo adds, calling to action advocates, allies and the general public to be virtually inspired through this virtual exhibition.
The exhibition features some of the artist's prominent works, from the controversial "Traditional Attire" and "Ashawo" pieces, to her other thought-provoking works like "I do my own hair", "Femme Fatal" and "Nigerian Feminist Movements" which have made waves and sparked important conversations locally and around the world.
Experience the virtual exhibition HERE and let us know what you think in the comments. Share with your community to drive more conversation on the theme.