Afroprophetic: Art Transforming Minds and Nature

Over the past several years I've been drawn more and more to Africa's culture, landscapes and wildlife. Much of that journey has been shared with Arete Arts Foundation, a UK charity that gives contemporary African artists a platform and funds grassroots creative projects that use art to drive social and environmental change. Co-founder Emilia Keladitis has been a great friend and an inspiration, and it's an honour to have my work in their first book.

I've worked with Arete on several projects. One of the most rewarding was the African Art + Filmmaking Workshop in Lomé, Togo, run by Arete and AFRISOS, the African School of Storytelling, in May 2025. I was one of three mentors, alongside Jigar Ganatra and Richard Camp, and we were supported by a wonderful wider team. Over three intensive days, emerging filmmakers from across West Africa were teamed up with artists and conservationists. Each group of three made a 90-second film about protecting the region's natural heritage, and the films were screened at a mini film festival and awards ceremony at the end. It was a privilege to watch these stories come together and to see how much talent there is in the next generation of African storytellers.

Afroprophetic celebrates contemporary African art and explores climate change, Africa's natural resources and biodiversity, and humanity's relationship with nature. Its featured artists include some of the most important names in contemporary art: John Akomfrah RA, El Anatsui, Dr. Serge Attukwei Clottey, Sokari Douglas Camp CBE, Romuald Hazoumé, Abdoulaye Konaté, Wangechi Mutu, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Pascale Marthine Tayou and Barthélémy Toguo.

The book launched alongside the Afroprophetic exhibition that Arete Arts Foundation curated at Christie's London in June 2023.

Profits from book sales go to Arete Arts Foundation and support grassroots art projects across Africa. These include the Wajukuu Art Collective in Kenya, AFRISOS scholarships and the museum outreach programme at the Palais de Lomé in Togo.