A Creative Life of Impact
Portfolio
Aisha is a uniquely talented versatile artist who utilises various mediums of expression that include but are not limited to Photography (still & motion) and Painting (Acrylic/Digital) and mixed media. She is an internationally celebrated documentary and art photographer who strongly believes in the use of narrative storytelling.
Aisha says “I would like the people who experience my work to think about and feel what is being expressed. I would want them to ask more questions with understanding, to see beyond the medium and to engage in discourse on the subject. If they walk away without that, then I feel like I have failed. It is always bigger than what is captured in a frame.”
Aisha has used her artistic mediums as tools for fundraising, building awareness and for advocacy on creative and cultural industries, gender, identity, politics, education and health issues amongst others. She has held various exhibitions, trained thousands of young people and donated her work to raise funds for development initiatives in not just Nigeria but across Africa and the world. She studied Digital Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy and also has a certificate in Curating Contemporary Art Exhibitions from the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Aisha founded the Centre for Art & Creative Talent (CFACT) in 2012 with a mission to improve the visibility and to create jobs and opportunities for emerging artists. She has supported initiatives under: Oxfam, UNICEF, Action Aid, Water Aid, UNDP, British Council, Standard Chattered Bank, Sterling Bank, Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Ayahay Foundation, Illmi Children’s Fund, Kebbi State Government, Nigeria Governors Forum, Africa Practice, Abuja Photo Festival, NIPHEC, Governors Wives Forum on Drug awareness, Sickle Cell Aid Foundation and many more.
Expectations (2021)
‘Expectations’ is a 12 piece digital art series that chronicles the emotions, inner thoughts and experiences that come with fertility. It touches on gender, identity, narcissism, IVF, culture, taboo, bodily changes and health matters. As a mother of three boys, this topic was inspired by the constant pressure by Aisha’s immediate community on her to try for a female child.
In photo is ‘1-in-4’, it depicts the fact that data suggests that one out of four women will experience pregnancy loss.
Material Culture
The Fulani mud hut story is one of material culture. It is a connection between the settlers and the way they live with the objects around them. Almost everything one needs to know about the Fulani settlers in Gishiri, Abuja, Nigeria is captured within the mud huts. It is a story of design, art, life and organised chaos. A moving home as you may, be it temporary. This series examines the Fulani tribe’s nomadic nature and their sense of fashion, body art and make-up, questioning how they live and express themselves.
In photo ‘Organised Chaos’ chronicles the interior architecture and spacial design of a Fulani hut.
Water Aid: Tillaberry, Niger Republic
“Almost every country struggling to provide its people with clean water also has a huge gap in access between richest and poorest. For instance, in Niger, only 41% of the poorest people have access to water, while 72% of its wealthiest do. In neighbouring Mali, the gap widens to 45% and 93%, respectively.”- Water Aid
Aisha was commissioned to document the work being done by International NGO, Water Aid. She documents a community in the Tilaberry Region of Niger Republic. It was a journey full of stories on climate change, water and sanitation and a community full of culture, bravery and change.
Oxfam: Borno, Nigeria
In this series, Aisha worked with Oxfam to raise awareness on the conflict in North East, Nigeria through narrative storytelling and photography. The project also raised awareness of the protection threats facing residents and Internally Displaced People living in the North East. The series was published by Oxfam in various articles and it was concluded with a photo exhibition held in Lagos, Nigeria.
Recent Exhibitions
‘The Beauty of Nigeria’, Female Artists Association of Nigeria, Embassy of Korea, Nike Art Gallery, Abuja, Nigeria, March 2022
‘Art Gala, Art 4 Cancer’, Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals 2021
‘Art.Voice.Power‘ Elimination of violence Against Women & Girls, Abuja, Enugu, Nigeria 2020
Countless Miles’ Nigerian Travel Exhibition, Miliki Lagos, Nigeria 2016
‘Before, Before & Now, Now’ Mira Forum, Art Tafeta Porto, Portugal, 2016
‘To mark new beginnings: Africa’ African Steeze Los Angeles, USA, 2016
‘Consumption by moonlight’ Environmental Art Collective Abuja, Nigeria, 2015
‘Photo Junctions’ Thought pyramid Art Centre Abuja, Nigeria, 2015
‘Alternative Evil’ Mixed Media Exhibition, IICD Abuja, Nigeria 2014
Material Culture’ Lagos Photo Festival Lagos, Nigeria 2014
Nigerian Centenary Photography Exhibition, Bonhams’ London, United Kingdom, 2014
Bridging the Gap in Nigeria, Iroko Arts Nairobi, Kenya, October, 2013
Water and Purity (Women&Water), Lagos,Nigeria, September, 2012
‘My Nigeria; The Photowagon Exhibits’ Thought pyramid Abuja, Nigeria, December, 2010
‘The Authentic trail: Breast Cancer’ Medicaid, Abuja, Nigeria, October, 2010
‘Here and Now: Contemporary Nigerian and Ghanian art’ New York, USA, October, 2010
‘50 years ahead through the eyes of Nigerian women’; Abuja/Lagos Nigeria, April, 2010
‘Nigeria: The future I see’ Finalist (African Artists Foundation, Nigeria) Lagos, Nigeria; 2009