Stay connected. Stay blessed.

By Yung Yemi (Toronto, Ontario)

57 Lisgar
August 2023, Up Here 9

Yung Yemi's artwork seeks to intertwine the threads of heritage, community, and environment, reminding us of the profound connection between the people that shape our lives and the natural world. Through intricate symbolism, he aims to tap into the continuum between our past, our future, and the ecosystems that sustain us. Just as our heritage shapes our identity, the environment shapes our existence. This piece serves as a visual dialogue, urging us to nurture our cultural heritage, our communities and the planet that cradles us— fostering a harmonious coexistence that enriches our lives now and for generations to come.

Yung Yemi

Adeyemi Adegbesan is a Kensington Market–based, self-taught, and multi-disciplinary artist incorporating photography, illustration, mixed-media collage, murals, and assemblage. Reflecting on Black cultural ideologies from pre-colonial, colonial, present-day, and future timelines—and across regions, religions, levels of income, and political lines—Adegbesan examines the dichotomy of the richness of Black experiences with the imposed societal homogeneity of “Blackness.” Pulling from these, Adegbesan creates Afro-futuristic portraits embodying themes of history, fantasy, speculative futures, and spirituality.