b. Nigeria; Photography, Digital Media
Yagazie Emezi is an artist and self-taught photojournalist from Aba, Nigeria focused on stories surrounding African women and their health, sexuality, education and human rights. Born and raised in Aba, Nigeria, her artistic photo-projects are constructed pieces aimed to be visual critiques of Nigeria’s socio-political state and the roles media play in it, pulling from history and current events. She began her journey in 2015 and has since worked with Al-Jazeera, New York Times, Vogue, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, TIME, The Guardian, Washington Post, National Geographic, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Weather Channel and New York Times Magazine. Yagazie is a recipient of the 2018 inaugural Creative Bursary Award from Getty Images. A participant for the 2018 New York Portfolio Review, she has also been featured by British Journal of Photography, Huffington Post, i-D, Nieman Reports, Paper Magazine, Vogue, and The Washington Post. In November of 2018, she received a grant from the U.S Consulate General in Lagos for her photo-series addressing the reality of sexual violence against women and the vulnerable young in Nigeria. In 2019, she became the first black African woman to photograph for National Geographic Magazine and is a National Geographic Explorer Grantee. Yagazie was among the 2019 inaugural artists selected for Kehinde Wiley’s art residency at Black Rock Senegal.
