WCE

Whitney Chinonye Ernest is a unique visual artist whose work marries visual art and journalism to preserve culture and human achievement. Her art is characterised by bright colours and bold imagery, often created with acrylics and markers, reflecting the vibrancy of African expression. Further, her belief in the transformative power of strategic cross-cultural, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary collaboration forms the cornerstone of her work. 

Over the past six years, Whitney has leveraged such collaborations to advance her artchival work. Her "art-chives" are a collection of particularly notable pieces like the "art-chive of the Year 2020", which she painted at 19 years old. The piece captures over 200 global events of the tumultuous year, contrasting serious themes like death and political unrest with a playful, comic-like style, inviting deeper reflection from her viewers.

She has also produced work that honour iconic figures such as Fela Kuti and contributes to cultural documentation through pieces like her "Art-chive of UPPFEST" and "Art-chive of Lyrical Wars GH." Outside of her primary artchival works, Whitney creates contemporary African crowd pieces and addresses issues such as the mental state of African Gen Z, as featured in Kenga Magazine Issue V.

Driven by a commitment to preserving stories for future generations, Whitney's art is more than just a curious expression; it's a legacy. Like the ancestors before her, she utilises freehand iconography and doodles to capture history, identity and critical data. Through her work, she seeks to shape memory, and thus our collective future.