12 Ridiculously Talented Sierra Leonean Artists
Despite its small size, Sierra Leone is home to a host of young and extremely talented artists. Here are a dozen of the best.
Hawa-Jane Bangura
A major figure in the local art scene, Hawa-Jane has been instrumental in teaching and mentoring Sierra Leonean artists and giving them them a platform with her collective ‘ the Barray’ and its much feted twice-annual exhibitions.
Joseph ‘Jozy’ Jalloh
An accountancy student who sketches in his spare time, Jozy is completely self taught. He is currently working on expanding his talents into digital art and murals.
Ken ‘Kpaq’ Wright
Another self-taught artist, Ken specialises in large scale murals and painting for restaurants, entertainment venues, and other businesses. His work uses bold colours and African motifs like masks and traditional instruments.
Ahmad Chbaklo
A man of many talents, Ahmad works for the country’s largest telecoms company, and moonlights as a professional photographer, videographer and (former) basketball player. Oh, he also paints.
Felix Rhodes
A bicycle and motorcycle enthusiast, Felix’s work captures the joyful chaos and hubbub of Freetown’s streets. Felix’s childhood is a key inspiration, and his work often evokes the vibrant optimism of post-independence Sierra Leone.
Hafsatu Serry (IG: @serryhafsatu)
A self-taught digital artist, Hafsa works in marketing and advertising and sketches on her tablet during her free time. Her latest series of portraits uses splashes of colour to great effect.
Morrison Jusu
A civil engineer by training, Morrison’s work is often fiercely proud and political, with titles such as ‘Are We Independent?’ referencing the country’s colonial past.
Alfred Taylor (IG: @iam_producshun)
Alfred’s hyper-realistic drawings are super impressive, even more so when you realise they have been done with biro pens that cost less than 5 cents a piece. Like most of the others on this list, Alfred is completely self-taught.
Ngadi Smart
Currently based in cote d’Ivoire, Ngadi’s insanely striking illustrations draw heavily on themes of feminism, sexuality, and pan-africanism.
John Francis
An artist who specialises in expressive watercolour and acrylic paintings that capture the beat of urban and rural life in Sierra Leone, particularly aspects of traditional Krio culture. John’s work can be found throughout hotels in Freetown.
Paul ‘D Wizard’
Paul is another self-taught mural artist who’s work can be found throughout the East End of Freetown. His work combines realistic imagery with psychedelic colours and at times eerie compositions.
King Dus Street Art Festival
A collection of artists led by Valona Taylor and Yaya Turay and named after legendary artist King Dus. The annual Street Art Festival, where local and international artists collaborate on street art installations throughout Freetown, has become one of the most exciting fixtures in the Sierra Leone creative calendar.
Now that you know some of Sierra Leone’s best artists, you can help them out by:
- following the artists on social media
- sharing this article
- remembering these great artists next time you need to liven up a home or working space, or want a really personal gift for a loved one.
If you enjoyed this article and want more articles on arts & culture in West Africa, you can follow me on Instagram (@jamestorvaney) and Twitter (@jamestorvaney).
