PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Nia Musiba lives and eats and sleeps and goes to school and creates work and makes new friends in Portland. Her identity as an African-American woman and the daughter of a Tanzanian immigrant influences her work, and she uses art and design as a tool for her exploration of Blackness throughout history. Her creations are about being human, about hands and feet and bodies and love and sadness and flowers and sunshine. She views her depictions of Black and brown bodies as a direct response to the hyper-sexualization, brutalization, and overall negative depictions of BiPoC individuals within art and media. She believes in people, representation and love, among other things — and has a soft spot for the primary colors.
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?
I’m inspired by the people and things around me — there are so many talented and exciting people to talk to and things to look at, it never ends.
IF THERE WERE NO BARRIERS AND CONSTRAINTS, WHAT PROJECT WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK ON?
I wish more than anything that I could throw the most amazing and well designed gigantic dinner party with all of my friends and all of my inspirations. I’ve been daydreaming about designing beautiful invitations to fun places.
WHAT ARE YOU READING/LISTENING TO/WATCHING?
Listening: the Babbling Brook Soundscape on the Calm App Reading: All About Love by Bell Hooks (again) Watching: So much Queer Eye
