Photo by Anna Francesca Jennings
Idris Veitch is a Nigerian/Jamaican visual artist. His body of work has been shown in solo and collaborative exhibitions in Nigeria, Japan and Jamaica, and also featured in online and printed publications including Nataal, African Digital Art, Vogue Girl Japan and Buzz Caribbean.
His artistic journey began during research for his graduation collection in Tokyo where he attended fashion school. Having very little familiarity with the family on his Nigerian side while tackling the difficulties faced with acclimating to Japan, he began a cross-cultural examination that resulted in a fusion of Japanese and African influences into his final garments.
The research process during this time included the creation of two collage pieces which combined masks from different regions in Africa with ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese art created using woodblock prints. He would continue this practice after graduation which eventually turned into a series titled “African Masks X Ukiyoe”. This body of work would eventually lead to multiple exhibitions and artist features in different publications - both print and online.
Veitch’s evolving body of work continues to build on top of what he previously established to also include the many facets of the black experience. Working with a wider palette of mixed media, contrasting elements and textures he is able to weave intricate, narrative-rich layers to reveal stories that resonate with depth and a colourful playfulness.