Sade Boyewa El is a Documentary, Portraiture and Street Photographer, Community Activist and Organizer who lives and works in Harlem, New York. A native of Sweden and Nigeria. Her colorful and vibrant photographs pay homage to her transnational and multicultural upbringing from around the world. Shade’s work challenges the viewer’s eyes by looking past the obvious. With her images she seeks to inspire people to look carefully at the world around them to uncover all the beauty that exists in the most unusual and unexpected places. Her work has appeared in various group exhibitions in New York and Europe.
This year she received a grant from Lower Manhattan Community Council, LMCC and NYFA to bring FACES OF HARLEM into the public sphere as an outdoor exhibition, presented throughout the four historical parks in Harlem.
Ariella Imena is an oil painter, film photographer, writer and thrifter based in New Jersey. Her work reflects on personal anecdotes as well as the overlooked beautiful stories in her community and her own family being both Black and Puerto Rican. Ariella combines both her artistry and passion for resourcefulness to capture visual narratives of community, spirituality, joy and healing. She draws inspiration for the structure and style of her film work from her paintings as well as the vibrancy of thrifted and reused items found in yard sales and flea markets. Through her work, Ariella wants to continue to bring forth the often hidden stories and use her art to encourage reflection, faith and healing.