As a multi-award-winning photographer and digital artist based in Nairobi, Kenya, Osborne Macharia’s visual- and narrative-driven style, known as ‘Afrofuturism,’ has been recognized internationally not only as entertaining and Afrocentric but also as a platform for discussing critical social issues and conveying important messages on topics such as inclusion, representation, gender abuse, female genital mutilation, albinism, conservation, and care for the elderly. As a commercial photographer Macharia has been privileged to work with some top local and international brands, including Marvel (Black Panther), Disney, the Oprah Winfrey Network (Queen Sugar), Absolut, MTV, Volkswagen, Forbes, Guinness, and Mercedes-Benz. In 2018, Macharia was also the first Kenyan ever to be selected as a jury member for the prestigious Cannes Lions creative awards and the ADC/One Show Awards.

Nairobi-based “Blinky” Bill Sellanga is a singer-songwriter, beat maker, producer, TED Fellow, and one-fourth of the Kenyan art and music collective Just a Band. He is an alumnus of the Red Bull Music Academy and the OneBeat international music collaboration. In 2017, Sellanga released his debut solo album, titled Everyone’s Just Winging It And Other Fly Tales, on the heels of his experimental 2016 EP, We Cut Keys While You Wait.

This program will also be presented on Thursday, September 13 at 5:30 PM at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor.

Presented in partnership with Design Core Detroit Detroit Month of Design and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.