Ngima Thogo is a 25-year-old digital artist based in Nairobi. Thogo creates mesmerizing portraits that burst with imagination. The artist obscures the eyes of the subject, a nod to the traditional African masks that serve as his inspiration. This inspiration further manifests itself in Thogo’s work through the fluid, bold lines and geometric compositional elements he adds to his designs, at times creating a sort of headdress for the subject.
"...the idea of staying persistent in pursuing knowledge."
Hey, my name’s Ngima Thogo! A 25-year-old digital artist based in Nairobi. Before COVID, I was a photographer in the city for a few years while doing art and freelancing on the side. COVID kind of threw a wrench into the whole photographer thing, but it opened up more opportunities and time to focus on my freelancing and design work.
Commission work has been nice. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great clients. My interests include preparing food, looooove food! I enjoy music, discovering new artists, and recommending them to people who might have otherwise never heard of them before—audiobooks & podcasts (both hobbies I picked up during quarantine). I’m intrigued by many things, such as historical times, for example. Ancient Egyptian civilizations, traditional African masks, and scarification marks on various cultures because of identity, etc.
When did you discover art? I’ve always appreciated art but never thought I’d ever be able to create it! I truly believed I wasn’t creative enough. So, I remained a passionate onlooker. Until 2018, I came across traditional face masks. I got encouraged by the aesthetic and the cultural heritage of the masks, and it’s been a process of exploring, learning, and sharing a neoteric version of it.
"I try to give these concepts a sense of beauty, healing and hope through it."
What inspires you to create? I find inspiration in many things. Sometimes through music and film, In little details in things I encounter in my daily life. Sometimes I’ll get inspired by other people in my field that I look up to, for example, mankind. Brilliant artist, his work ethic is inspirational. I love yesterday night his thought process. I love cesar_does_it for his instantly recognizable style. There’re just too many to list. What stands out to me are artists that problem-solve creatively and have a keen eye. Much of my work stems from emotions and things that I’m feeling internally. Stuff like anxiety, solitude, doubt, loss, struggling with hyperhidrosis disorder, etc... Sometimes these subjects may seem very esoteric, but I try to give these concepts a sense of beauty, healing, and hope through it. I try to provide these feelings and emotions with an external interpretation that I can’t convey in words.
Which character is your favorite? and why?
Kpeliye’e is a key art by far! The inspiration came from the Senufo people of northern Côte d’Ivoire
Top three things you needed to be where you are today.
I feel very unqualified to give advice since I consider myself an up-and-coming digital artist! I guess what I can suggest is the idea of staying persistent in pursuing knowledge. Being talented and having good ideas is one thing, but taking the time to understand the technical aspects of how a computer works. Isn’t something that you hear a lot. It’s essential to understand the ins and outs of how the software you use works. And this takes time to develop such understanding to a point where it becomes an extension of your mind.
"...your results compound and your dreams will become a reality."
Second, It’s important to write your own story, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Comparing yourself to other artists is never a healthy idea. I think it’s okay to draw inspiration or admiration from other artists, but you have to believe in yourself enough to release your work.
Last, which I think is the most important one, is the commitment to your craft. You need to spend several hours creating artwork every day. Being disciplined enough to sit down every day and make something or learn something isn’t easy. When you can constantly do it every day for a year or two, you will see results. After that, your results compound and your dreams will become a reality.
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To buy prints, visit Ngima Thogo's website!
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