studio practice/ drawing & computational
My practice is informed by semiotics and is focused on drawing as a creative and cognitive technique. My drawing method is the result of a self training activity, where I prioritise the process over the end result, exploring the boundaries between abstraction, figuration, and representation. I observe how simple abstract forms evolve into complex shapes and patterns that open new dimensions of interpretation and perception.
I apply my creative process across different contexts, using both traditional, digital and computational media.
Over the past decade, I created murals, series of drawings, and worked on live events. More recently my practice has been expanding to integrate computational technologies and methods.
As part of the DYCP (Developing Your Creative Practice) program by the Arts Council England, I’m currently researching, developing and testing new ways to make engaged work by integrating creative coding, artificial intelligence and machine learning into my studio practice.
Pink Noise (2024)
Interactive program developed using the p5.js library in JavaScript. It explores time, memory and duration through the concept of emergence in generative drawing.
Participants are invited to play with three dynamic brushes, each implemented using Perlin noise algorithms and displaying a range of pink hues, from red to blue.
The program allows users to generate real-time abstrac visuals, where the emergence of textures and patterns evokes the complexity of natural phenomena.
Generative art has continuously explored the relationship between algorithmically-driven processes and creative expression. Pink Noise positions itself within this legacy, while focusing on user interaction and experience, and the dynamic between accessibility and creativity. Designed as a 'doodling' platform, Pink Noise invites users to co-create with the program. Here, technology serves as an ally for the user, transforming the making process into a collaborative practice between programmer and participant.
I wanted to enable users to keep a memory of the experience, a tangible outcome in the form of a co-created piece of art - images can be saved and downloaded in a high resolution which allows to print up to A3 format.
Randomness significantly influences the behaviour and appearance of the agents, contributing to the unique outcome each time a user interacts with the canvas. This introduces variability in the shapes, lines and textures created by the brushes, ensuring that no two creations are exactly alike. The combination of randomness with user interaction is a key aspect for creating dynamic and unique visual experience every time the program is used.
Here are some images from my previous sketches and some key steps in the design of the final brush types.
While “pink” is indented here a as medium for connection and expression, open to diverse interpretations and emotional responses, the meaning of “noise”, simultaneously, extends beyond Perlin noise algorithms to represent the ever-changing, fluid and uncertain nature of our relationship with past, present and future.
Historically, the colour pink has traversed a diverse array of meanings and interpretations. – transitioning from an association with masculinity in past centuries to becoming a symbol of femininity and softness. It has been embraced by LGBTQ+ movements, notably with the transformation of the pink triangle from a symbol of persecution to one of pride. More recently, the narrative of pink takes on new dimensions adding layers of complexity to its symbolism, with phenomena like ‘pink washing’, or the wider use of pink for breast cancer campaigns and other trends like ‘millennial pink’.
I conceived this project as an intimate yet inclusive space, personal and open to others. Pink serves as a medium for abstract engagement in the present moment, giving users the freedom to explore their unique connections with the colour.
Instead of using specific imagery, or direct historical references, the program encourages interaction through the lens of noise and abstraction, allowing for a pure, personal and imaginative interpretation of pink. My intention is to offer an evironment for relaxation, enjoyment, and contemplation. While I hope for the program to foster these states of mind, it is ultimately the individual’s interaction with it that shapes their personal experience and creative journey.
Queer Conversations (2023)
During the 2023 Open House at the Triangle, I engaged visitors in conversations around the meaning of "queer".
This collaborative artwork translates these conversations into visual form, capturing the diverse perspectives and emotions surrounding the experience of identifying as "queer".
The Triangle is a LGTBQ+ cultural center in South London where my art studio is located. As a queer artist and member of the community, I wanted to explore and document the varied interpretations of "queer" among visitors and create an interactive and live experience, rather than just merely show some finished pieces for our open studios.
I asked a simple question: "What does queer mean to you?" My goal was to understand the personal and collective significance of the term and to know how individuals feel about it and the meanings they attach to it.
Throughout the event, I had the privilege of speaking with both LGBTQ+ community members and allies. I documented this valuable exchange in written notes and sketches. Some visitors preferred to leave a message on a post-it note, while with others, we engaged in deeper conversations. I also had the opportunity to create portraits of some of the artists I spoke with, visualising their art and their responses to my question.
The term 'queer' has a complex and evolving history. Initially an offensive label of discrimination, it has been reclaimed and embraced by newer generations as a form of self-affirmation.
This reclamation has transformed a word of oppression into a symbol of pride, diversity, and resistance. Today, the term encompasses a wide spectrum of sexual orientations and gender identities, celebrating the fluidity and inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ experience.
However, significant pain remains associated with this term, particularly among those who faced abuse and discrimination in the 1970s and 1980s."
Yard (2021)
Commissioner: Peckham Levels
Art mural project inspired by the poem Yard by author Caleb Femi. The mural spanned across three walls, with a total size of 3 x 20 m. Located at Peckham Levels, it was displayed between September and November 2021.
This project originated as a response to an Open Call Gallery Wall installation at Peckham Levels. The call invited artists to submit work centered around Peckham, showcasing its local neighborhood, diversity, and history.
My submission focused on the poem Yard by Caleb Femi, featured in his collection “Poor,” published in 2020. This powerful collection explores the experiences of growing up as a young black person in a council estate in North Peckham, addressing themes of violence, grief, class, race, discrimination, and gentrification.
Initially presented as a drawing, my proposal was selected for a separate art mural commission. My creative approach revolved around doodling, aiming to celebrate Caleb’s impactful lines by delving into their surrealistic metaphors and vibrant imagery. Through the interplay of imagination and reality on paper, I sought to unfold a visual poem that captured the essence of his words.
