A recent art exhibition and fashion show in the city showcased the best of African art and fashion. Both events brought together a wide range of artists and fashion designers and offered a unique experience.
AfricanBYArt, the host of the events, has made it its mission since 2018 to represent African culture by organizing events in fashion, music, and art. So this season, founders Salima Adda and Lydia Malela decided to organize a group exhibition as well as a fashion show in New York City, where African painters, sculptors, and designers could participate as part of their "never-ending mission to promote and represent African art."

The art show was held on February 2nd at Gallery23NY , a non-profit gallery group in the Meatpacking District, featured a variety of works by six talented local and international artists who were given the opportunity to exhibit their work at the gallery for a month so that we could "enjoy and immerse ourselves in their world," as AfricanBYArt, described it. 
Artists, creatives, and fashion people crowded the gallery that Thursday night to celebrate African art at the start of Black History Month. When the gallery doors opened at 6 p.m., guests streamed in, greeted the hosts, mingled with the artists, and then began walking around the space to get a glimpse of the artwork. A DJ played relaxing music in the background, and drinks were served to guests at the bar in the back of the room.

One of the highlights of the exhibit was the work of Brooklyn-based artist Sandrine Saint Louis, better known as Lady Brown. Her dreamy, spiritual artwork, which caught your eye right on the center wall, is heavily influenced by Japanese and African culture. In her own words, art is a spiritual journey for Saint Louis, and each piece has its own story to tell. "I used to be very anxious. But I can overcome that now through my art, and I feel much more comfortable now. This represents me and I feel confident."
In the gallery's entryway, visitors were able to admire work by an artist who is also primarily influenced by the spirituality of other cultures. Rusmel Mora from Cuba presented his wooden masks inspired by the African Yoruba religion, handcrafted to represent the entity and spirituality of the African-Cuban Yoruba.

Visitors strolled around, taking photos and videos of the artwork. One of the paintings particularly drew a lot of attention. It was located right next to the entrance, depicted silver dollar bills, and had two large burn holes. The artist of the piece, Eltsahfahn Vanterpool, said the painting was a commentary on the art business and the frustration that comes with it. "Art can be frustrating. You can't sell it if you can't find the right people." So he processed all his frustration with the art business into this painting, burned it down, made a video of it to capture it, and painted over it.
The mood in the gallery was jovial, with a DJ playing a mix of disco, the '70s and '80s pop, and dancing.

In the middle of it, all stood artist Shabazz, surrounded by friends, supporters, and those interested in their work. Shabazz, a Brooklyn-based visual artist, presented their series "Aftermath," which is about emerging stronger after overcoming challenges in life. The series is very personal to Shabazz, who faced homelessness in early 2022 but found perspective and inspiration for their art in New York. They have prevailed by making connections with Non-Profits such as Housing Works & now Gallery23NY.  Shabazz's artwork explores the symbolism of those labeled "queer" and "other-worldly" by society through the inclusion of creation and under-appreciated studies.
Later in the evening, AfricanBYArt came up with a highlight that they had announced at the beginning of the evening. Musician Prince Bright performed some of his songs live in the back of the gallery, right in front of the audience, who started singing along. It didn't take much animation, and everyone started dancing and clapping.
As the night slowly faded out, inspiring conversations and a really good mood remained.  

On Sunday, February 12, the fashion world was once again abuzz as AfricanBYArt presented its latest fashion show at Moonlight Studios in Soho. And it was no less impressive than the art exhibition. On display were the latest designs from African fashion designers, including pieces inspired by traditional African textiles, patterns, and techniques. Models walked the runway in the latest collections, showcasing the beauty and diversity of African fashion.

The evening began with the musical talent of DJ Birane, who set the mood and got the audience in the mood for the main event. AfroBeats musician Shizem opened the festivities with a live performance and got everyone on their feet.

Four talented designers took the stage to present their collections. Yetouma, a designer from Senegal, opened the show with his collection "Revenge." Yetouma, who has been designing for five years and is presenting his second collection in New York, said, "This collection is about the moment after a hard time when you have to show the world that you are doing just fine now." Next up was New Jersey-based artist Royal Soul LLC. Her designs are mainly influenced by street fashion, with a glamorous touch, as she adds sparkles, studs, and sequins to denim and jersey fabrics.

One of the highlights of the show was the collection of designer Siginommo, who mixed traditional African motifs with modern silhouettes. His goal with his designs is to show the beauty of black culture. “I feel that the black community has been much degraded and therefore a negative image about black people stays subconscious in the mind of the people. So therefore, I feel like, when I create designs which reflect that culture and reflect the people that had been degraded so much, it’s embracing them.” Finally, Tashii Couture rounded out the evening with his powerful haute couture collection titled "elements in crimson." He presented a series of unique gowns with feathers, sequins, and tulle. Designer Tashii says his inspiration for the collection was what the color red represents, "It's a powerful color, it represents strength. I designed a red collection about four years ago and I thought, you know what, I'll do another one." Tashii has been a designer for 48 years and has designed about 25 collections to date. 

The AfricanBYArt art exhibition and fashion show was a true celebration of African culture and the talent of its designers and artists. The evenings were a perfect blend of fashion, music, and art, and it was an unforgettable experience for all in attendance. When asked, founders Salima Adda and Lydia Malela said they were "happy and relieved" after this season and already have ideas for the 5th season. For AfricanBYArt, it was the first event in the U.S. after a two-year Corona break. "We are very proud and believe in ourselves after the last ten days. But we want to do even bigger things. We hope these events helped us do that and that we knocked on doors to get more funding." 
AfricanBYArt agency is a testament to the idea that African culture is not just about tradition, but about innovation and creativity, and the fashion show was a true representation of this concept.