Voices of the Diaspora: The Artisans Behind the Canvas

Nelson Stevens (1938-2022) was an American muralist, printmaker, painter, as well as a member of AfriCOBRA. He joined in 1969, a year after the collective was founded. His bright, vibrant pieces seek to inspire pride in Blackness. His work with AfriCOBRA sought to develop a Black aesthetic to uplift and inspire the Black community towards self-determination.  Stevens received a BFA from Ohio University in 1962 and in 1969 he earned a MFA in studio art and art history from Kent State University in 1969.

Nengi Omuku (1987-) is a Nigerian painter and textile artist. She paints on sanyan, an Aso-oke textile, a fabric woven by Yoruba people. Her paintings portray abstracted figures among s celestial landscapes. The natural world is a huge source of inspiration for her, as she trained as both a horticulturist and florist.  Omuku received both her BA and MA from the Slade School of Art in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

Ngozi Ajah Schommers (1974- ) is a German-Nigerian artist working across drawing, installation, painting, photography, and performance art to explore women's experiences and histories from pre-colonial West Africa. She is also interested in Igbo hair heritage and the realities faced by African migrants in Europe. 

Nick Cave (1959- ) is an American sculptor, dancer, performance artist, and educator best known for his Soundsuits. Cave initially created the Soundsuit in direct response to the police beating of Rodney King in 1991. The suits act as armor for the body, concealing race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment. They are made of an assemblage of fabric, toys, noisemakers, and other objects. He also creates mixed media sculptures and installations.  Cave received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1982. He received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1988. Additionally, he received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design in June 2022. 

Nina Chanel Abney (1982- ) is an American visual artist. During her career, Abney's style continued to evolve. She incorporated more complex compositions and began experimenting with larger-scale works and mixed-media installations. Her pieces explore themes such as identity, social justice, and societal power dynamics. Much of her work comprises of bright, graphic elements composed with an angular composition. Abney attended Augustana College in where she received a BFA with a dual major in studio art and computer science in 2004. She also attended the Chicago Art Institute and the Parsons School of Design where she received an MFA in 2007. A

Nneka Jones (1997- ) is an American multidisciplinary artist interested in painting, drawing, sculpting, and embroidering. Her work responds to social and environmental issues. Her artwork advocates for the protection of women of color and is most known for realistic embroidered portraits. Jones’ ongoing “Target” series confronts the trafficking of girls and women in the Caribbean.  Jones received a BFA from the University of Tampa in 2020. 

Noah Davis (1983-2015) was an American painter. He sought to depict Black life outside of negative stereotypes. Inspirations for his work include everyday life, family histories, ancient Egyptian cosmologies, the racism of American media, art history, and architecture. Rich and varied color palettes are employed to create work that sits between the surreal and real. In 2012, Davis founded the Underground Museum alongside his wife, Karon Davis, as not only an exhibition and community programming space.  Davis studied painting at the Cooper Union School of Art from 2001 to 2004. 

Nona Faustine is a Brooklyn-born photographer and visual artist known for her powerful exploration of race, history, and identity. Her work confronts the legacy of slavery and systemic racism in America, often using her own body in historically significant locations to evoke deep reflection on the past's impact on the present. Faustine’s art challenges viewers to consider the untold stories embedded in public spaces and monuments. One of her most notable series, White Shoes, features self-portraits taken at sites tied to New York’s history of slavery, such as Wall Street and City Hall. In this series, Faustine reclaims these spaces, highlighting the erasure of Black history in everyday environments. Another impactful work, They Tagged the Land with Trophies and Institutions from Their Rapes and Conquests, explores how colonization and violence are etched into landscapes and institutions. Faustine’s work has been exhibited in prominent institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. She has received numerous accolades, including the 2021 Anonymous Was A Woman Award and the 2019 Finalist Award for the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Her photography continues to spark conversations about memory, representation, and the power of art to challenge historical narratives.

Nona Faustine (1977-2025) was an American photographer. Early in her career, she focused on documentary photography. She eventually pivoted towards conceptual work focused on the Black female experience and American history.  Faustine received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1997, and an MFA from the International Center of Photography at Bard College in 2013. 

Nontsikelelo Mutiti (1982- ) is a Zimbabwean visual artist and educator. She takes a conceptual view of publishing, archiving practices, and institution building. She approaches books as a time-based medium that physically engages the viewer. As her educator, she is interested in systems of communication and learning that pre-date colonial frameworks of the written word in Zimbabwe.  Mutiti holds a diploma in Multimedia from the Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA) and an MFA from the Yale School of Art, with a concentration in Graphic Design.