Jacque Njeri, a Kenyan multi-disciplinary design creative found solace in "creating things and seeing the world".
Through her most recent creations, "Maasci" and "Genesis," the University of Nairobi graduate creates images of a technologically evolved Africa.
Njeri spoke to Okay Africa during an interview where she stated that she aims to enhance the existence and perception of African women by feminizing the images and people she portrays in her artwork.
Njeri is a significant player in the Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) industry and is presently a resident at the Voice NFT hot spot website.
Her work honours Kenyan heritage and ancestors while reiterating the significance of her ancestry.
The Kenyan creative showcased her project, “Maasci” around Europe before the pandemic and also curated a project called ‘Genesis’, based on the origin of the Kikuyu people and the myths around their creation story.
"The essence of Afrofuturism is advancement in technology, advancement in science, and the perspective of the future. Participating in the NFT space is an application of this message that we’re trying to pass across. We’re actualizing this message," she told the publication.
Njeri stated that the NFT marketplace presented a fair playing field, for African artists since it cuts through the traditional route of having middlemen sell their art on a global stage.
"I just completed my NFT residency at Voice, and I hope the experience I gained there opens me up to more opportunities to not only sell my own art but bring more artists to the field," she stated.
"You have to educate yourself beyond creating the work. With my experience and the groundwork I’ve put in, I’m knowingly waiting for the fruits of it," she added when speaking on her experience in the industry so far.
The Kenyan artist noted that the industry has resources and architecture needed and the emergence of a variety of crypto companies taking an interest in Africa was also favourable for artists on the continent to find new avenues of making money.
"It’s now our responsibility to place ourselves in the centre and take advantage," she stated.
