Encomium
Celebrated London-based photographer and multidisciplinary artist, Ejatu Shaw is special guest on this week’s edition of African Voices, the CNN International magazine program sponsored by Technology Company, Globacom
The 30 – year -old British-Sierra Leonean creative has quickly become a rising force in the global art and fashion scenes. Shaw whose artistic journey began in 2013 during a transformative family trip to her native Sierra Leone is a 2020 graduate of the University of Westminster with a Master’s degree in Photography Arts,
Shaw’s work is deeply personal, serving as a visual exploration of her identity. She masterfully blends elements of her Islamic faith and African heritage, drawing profound influence from iconic mid-century African studio photographers such as Malick Sidibé (Mali), Sory Sanlé (Burkina Faso), and Omar Yahia Barram (Sudan). Through self-portraiture and complex, heritage-focused projects, Shaw translates these cultural memories into striking visual narratives.
Her career reached new heights in 2025 when the British Fashion Council named her a “New Wave Creative.” Her 2025 portfolio includes high-profile photography for EBONY (Angela Bassett), The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and Vogue (Cynthia Erivo), as well as campaign work for Puma featuring Usain Bolt and album cover art for singer Craig David.
Viewers can watch the programme on Saturday at 7.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. On Sunday, the viewing continues at 3.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. with further repeats on Monday at 3 a.m. and 5.45 p.m.
