Bay Area artist and educator Nimah Gobir has never stopped creating. Utilizing text and photo references from family archives, Nimah is actively defending Black history through her paintings.⁠

“The most important thing to know about my work is that I still think making art is magic, so as people are erasing Black people and altering Black history, I delight in defending the presence of Black people through beautifully painted portraits.”⁠

Nimah’s work is composed of “soft and bold colors” and observations of “the way a body changes when there is another body near it,” ultimately creating a masterpiece that celebrates Black power and Black history. Her source material are photographs her dad incessantly captured as Nimah was growing up. Nimah tends to sprawl out her creative energy between multiple pieces to keep a painting’s “attitude” in balance while she incorporates text and stitching, adding a layer of texture and intrigue. ⁠

Her work was featured in The Black Woman Is God exhibition, February 23 to April 6, 2022.⁠

Feature Published: February 18, 2022
Website
Instagram
Instagram Feature on @ArtSpanSF