Ngadi Smart is a freelance Visual Artist and Designer based in London, U.K. She specialises in Illustration and Photography.
Her work has been published online on CNN, The Atlantic, United Nations, Vogue Italia and Okay Africa.
You can also catch her work in print, published in MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora, an anthology celebrating the work of 100 Women Photographers of African Descent, South Africa’s Livingspace Magazine (September 2018 Issue), Gay Times Magazine (October 2018 issue), Reportagen Magazine (January 2019 Issue), the British Journal of Photography’s Female in Focus E-guide (April 2019 issue), and Atmos Magazine (November 2019 issue).
Projects
- Print Designs for Vlisco&Co (2019)My designs for “Ngadi Smart X Louis Philippe de Gagoue”, the first print design collaboration for Dutch Print company Vlisco's ongoing project "Vlisco&Co". The theme for this year's Vlisco&Co Côte d’Ivoire project was constructed on the idea of showcasing a fresh, modern take on traditional Côte d'Ivoire bronze artefacts. Print Design: Ngadi Smart Photography & Styling: Louis Philippe de Gagoue Costume Tailor: Dora Moti Make-Up: Audy Beauty Studio Models: Marie Olive Bron, Emmanuella Kamena
- The Queens of Babi (2020)My new series “The Queens of Babi”, on the drag community of Abidjan, now live on the Queer Festival Heidelberg website and exhibited in the streets of Heidelberg, Germany during May 2020. I shot Kesse Ane Assande Elvis Presley, or simply coined as "Britney Spears" by her friends, along with Mohamed, aka “Baba” for a series which was created after meeting and talking with the members of Abidjan's drag community, and discussing how to highlight their talent and creative passions. For a duration o
- Illustrations for Ishmael Beah's Novel "Little Family" (2020)4 Illustrated panels done for @riverheadbooks Instagram commissioned by art director Helen Yentus to celebrate the release of @ishmaelhbeah’s new novel “Little Family”. Born 23 November 1980, Beah is a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist who rose to fame with his acclaimed memoir, A Long Way Gone.His novel Radiance of Tomorrow was published in January 2014. His most recent novel Little Family was published in April 2020: A powerful novel about young people in a conflict-scarred land
- C40 Cities: The Future We Want (2019)"Illustrating The Future We Want" is a project organized by C40 Cities, showcasing the work of artists from around the world.What does your greener future look like? C40 Cities commissioned me and 21 other artists to be part of a project seeking to show what a greener tomorrow could look like, if we took bold action to address the climate crisis now. We each illustrated how bold climate action can build a healthier, more sustainable, & equitable future, with this basic prompt: "What does the f
- Illustrations for Vlisco&Co's Abidjan launch (2018)Vlisco&Co Côte d’Ivoire finally launched in Abidjan. Vlisco&Co is a cultural evening that brings together young African creative talents who interpret their own vision of Vlisco designs. The theme for the Ivorian edition was to highlight the golden age of Côte d’Ivoire 1960s-80s, which was a time when the country was well known for its architecture, elegant fashion, exciting lifestyle and scene. My illustrations were inspired by the Ivorian fashion magazines and the fantastic women of that era.
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Projects credited in
- Fringe! Festival x Ngadi SmartStudio PI illustrator @ngadismart was commissioned to create this epic artwork for this year's instalment of Fringe! @fringefilmfest The festival is a warm embrace of Queer love on screen and across the combined arts and runs from the 9th - 14th November. From feature films to experimental installations, workshops and lively debates to wild parties, Fringe! hosts a multitude of diverse events to tickle every one of the senses. You'll see them flooding East London's cinemas, art galleries,1
- Vlisco&Co x Ngadi SmartVlisco&Co Côte d’Ivoire was launched at @galeriececilefakhoury in Abidjan. Vlisco&Co is a cultural evening that brings together young #African #creative talents who interpret their own vision of #Vlisco #designs. The theme for the Ivorian edition was to highlight the golden age of Côte d’Ivoire, between the 1960s-80s, which was a time when the country was well known for its architecture, elegant fashion, exciting lifestyle and scene. Special thanks to @gsysb and @zaraatelj and congratulations t
Work history
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Visual Artist: Illustrator and PhotographerNgadi Smart
London, United KingdomFreelance
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Graphic DesignerVoodoo Group
- Abidjan, Côte d'IvoireFull Time
Graphic Designer at VOODOO Group for Orange Liberia
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Skills
- Design
- Illustration
- Photography
- Artistic Direction
- Photo Editing
- Drawing
- Pattern Design
- Graphic Design
- Graphic Art
Education
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Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) Graphic DesignOCAD University
- Toronto, Canada
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College Certificate in Media Communications FundamentalsSeneca College Of Applied Arts & Technologies
- Toronto, Canada
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