KEMET Magazine is an 80 page digital and physical magazine meant to celebrate and center Black identity through art, design, and visual storytelling.
KEMET Magazine’s first issue, “The Twin Issue”(2023), pays homage to the West African idelogy of twins being otherwordly, supreme beings. It explores duality — not just through literal twins, but through mirrored identities, styling, and spirit. What does it mean to be seen alongside someone else, to reflect and refract each other? In a world that often demands singularity, this issue embraces multiplicity.
KEMET Magazine’s second issue, “May your roots grow you to the Sky”(2024), shows the parallels and reflections between West Africa & Black America. In creating this issue, I drew inspiration from my home in Nigeria and the tradition of Black Dandyism — a diasporic street style movement rooted in resistance and self-expression, dating back to the antebellum era. The bold use of color and varied West African prints come together to shape the second installment of KEMET Magazine.
What does a modern art publication centering Black identity and culture look like? And how can it platform Black youth across the diaspora? There was a lack of African-centered editorial spaces that truly represented Black identity within an African cultural context.
Founder, Editor, Photographer, Designer. I created an 80-page art publication that aspires to feel both archival and alive. I experimented with layout systems influenced by pan-African textiles and color psychology. Using InDesign and analog printing references, I designed each spread with custom portraiture and type treatments. I oversaw every stage from photoshoots to press check, ensuring the final magazine stayed true to its roots.
KEMET Magazine was featured in a historic campus-wide projection event at the University of Southern California, led by myself and the internal event and technical planning orgs within USC. It was also distributed within USC and the largest festival in LA, Taste of Soul. The first issue, "The Twin Issue" (2023), and second issue, "May your roots grow you to the Sky" (2024), successfully explored complex themes including West African ideology, duality, and the parallels between West Africa & Black America.
Explorations in Branding + Product Design
As part of expanding the KEMET universe, I designed visual identity explorations, merch concepts, and physical brand extensions. These graphics experiment with how the ethos of KEMET can live beyond the page — through clothing, objects, and type.