The strikingly hyper-real drawings of Nigerian artist Chiamonwu Joy could easily be mistaken for photographs; each takes between three weeks to two months, and an endless supply of patience, to complete using graphite and charcoal. Many depict a family member or friend: “I decide who and what to draw next depending on how physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically attracted I am to the subject or object.” But her focus extends far wider. Raised in Maiduguri in the northern part of Nigeria, before moving down to Awka in the south-east, she’s dedicated to recording and preserving her Igbo culture.
