ZA :

In 2021, you were commissioned by the British Journal of Photography to accompany WaterAid for three months to document the effects of water poverty on communities across Sierra Leone. It resulted in a book titled Wata Na Life with Loose Joints in conjunction with the Mahler & LeWitt Studios Publishing Award. In an interview, you mention that Wata Na Life which translates to “Water is life,” in English seeks to advance climate justice. While looking through photographs of the book online - your use of collages, and full bleed images made me feel like I was witnessing stories flowing through streams of water, that are inherent with memory and history. Could you touch upon the use of collage and the design to further this perspective?

NS :

Thank you, it’s really lovely to hear how the visuals I captured and created transcend to the very theme that they were based on. The use of collage and bright colours was essentially to capture the reality of life without freely flowing clean water, but to also celebrate the tenacity, essence, and identities of the people and places of these Sierra Leonean communities as they grapple with a deep and devastating problem. I shot and edited by location, so that the colours and elements in the images would always reflect each community's environment. Blending each location's scenery, portraits, and objects that I photographed, felt like a more authentic representation rather than a single image. It was also important for me to include their environments in the portraits so that they could recognise and associate the imagery with the place they live and contribute to everyday. This was really not about the viewer, but the people whom I photographed, and my attempt at making the Sierra Leoneans look at this work and feel proud. That was the most important thing.

ZA :

Have you always been interested in feminism and sexuality as a form of self-expression? What about these themes motivates and influences your work?

NS :

Yes. I come from a family of strong, proud Sierra Leonean women. My grandmother is one of my biggest inspirations, and always treated her sons and daughters equally, especially when it was not the norm in the past. She knew who she was, and what she needed to gain a better life for herself and her children. No man or traditional African societal view was going to change that - and that has always stuck with me. Challenging societal norms through visual imagery motivates me.

ZA :

Since you are a multi-disciplinary artist who uses illustration, photography, and design in your practice, I was wondering what draws you to the combination of mediums. Do you witness your work differ when you use a singular form versus a multiple few?

NS :

Being a multidisciplinary artist allows me to use different forms of art based on whatever fits best for the project that I am working on. When photography gets overwhelming, I turn to illustration, and vice versa, which keeps me creatively motivated. For example, in June 2020, I delved more into illustration because of the Covid-19 lockdown. This saved me as it would have been tough had I strictly been a photographer, and the access I would have to photographing other people at the time.

ZA :

There is a vibrancy in your art. It is rich with colour, and isn’t afraid to include an abundance of visuals within singular frames. Could you elaborate on this style of working? And if there is a particular process you follow while creating your collages?

NS :

I think the way you express your art can be an extension of your life experiences and the things that you've seen. Perhaps my upbringing in West Africa has influenced my use of colour, along with my interest in pop culture. I like to make different variations of an image, and so, the process of layering during collage works well because there are so many different ways that adjusting and readjusting something will subtly or drastically change the final visual. I start with a base, build on it, and remain open to exploration.

ZA :

Reclaiming long-standing narratives and banishing stereotypes are so central in our current artistic landscape. Do you see a rise of it within our generation of artists? And do you see it continuing?

NS :

Yes, it's been quite popular since before 2020, and after that, I believe it really took off. I think things are constantly changing and developing. If we look back, African photographers in the 60s were also photographing in order to reflect and document their world post-independence. I see that continuing, but I also see much more for us as Black creatives - we should be able to touch upon everything we wish to express without constraints. Discover more of Ngadi Smart’s work here.