For all enquiries please email: usamah07@hotmail.com
USAMAH KISE
Usamah Kise is a London based multi discipline Art Director working with illustration, design, branding, typography and print. In his work he aims to tell the stories of the lives of the people who live and pass through his life and focus on controversial issues happening in contemporary society, such as body image and cultural diversity.
Coming from a background of graffiti, with 8 years’ experience, graffiti played a huge impact on his prolific style and has gotten him to where he is now. It's given him the opportunity to work with other artists, musicians and travel the world. Example of this are being part of the well-recognized documentary ‘Pride, Pole and Prejudice’ shown at the infamous Regent Street cinema which was nominated at 2015 Santé Fe film awards in New Mexico, working with political activist, artist and poet ‘Lowkey’ and working with students from Nottingham Trent University on a documentary about the history of Nottingham graffiti.
As Kise has gotten older, his style has naturally developed and moved away from typographic letters and graffiti and more in to Illustration and design. Many have described his style as very expressive and playful. He is known for incorporating a range of different techniques within each piece and making each one individual. He aims to find a balance between looseness and sharpness.
Usamah Kise has worked on a number of freelance projects and collaborations. This has allowed him to become adept at listening to client’s needs, analyzing them and applying the best designed solution using his own unique style and techniques alongside brand guidelines. He has often been praised for his skill to adapt his work to fit different briefs.
He challenges you, the viewer to look from different vantage points and see something you’re not accustomed to seeing. Offering the viewer with an alternate perception of the given subject. His work is a voice for the voiceless. Allowing the opportunity for all to have a presence and to demonstrate that we are on.
Exhibitions
July 2018: D+AD New Blood
July 2017: 'Complete Abstraction' - 508 Kings Road gallery, Chelsea, London
May 2017: 'Shift Happens' - Richmix, Bethnal Green, London
May 2017: 'Sprectrum' - 508 Kings Road gallery, Chelsea, London
March 2017: 'Creative 508' - 508 Kings Road gallery, Chelsea, London
December 2016: 'Exhibition 191' - Black and White building, London
March 2016: 'Ineffable' - Gallery West, University of Westminster, London
April 2015: 'The Untold' - Gallery West, University of Westminster, London
March 2015: 'Creative Debuts Showcase' - Black and White building, London
December 2014: 'The Body Politic' - Gallery West, University of Westminster, London
September 2013: 'Notts Property' - Switch gallery, Nottingham
Publications -
July 2018 - Feature in Collage: Make the Impossible Possible
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collage-Make-Impossible-Possible-SendPoints/dp/9887849391/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539003174&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=collage+making+the+impossible+possible
May 2017 - Feature in ‘Hangry’ blog http://www.giadagiachino.com/hangry/2017/6/3/usama-kise-tied-together
May 2017 - 'Shift' Illustration and Visual Communication final degree show catalogue
May 2017: Feature on the Business of Fashion’s Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/p/BUKMNqNguXP/?taken-by=bof&hl=en
May 2017: Experience Nottinghamshire feature -http://news.experiencenottinghamshire.com/spray-paint-inspiration/
December 2016: Exposition blog feature -http://milenaolesinska.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/usamah-kise.html
April 2014: Gloucester Citizen newspaper feature -
2011 - Present: Coloured souls collective -
http://csouls.wixsite.com/colouredsouls
April 2011: History of Nottingham Graffiti Documentary
Awards -
May 2016 - Distant Horizon travel award
March 2015 - Artist of the month at Creative Debuts -http://www.creativedebuts.co.uk/news/march-featured-artist-interview/