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The Inspiration
ROOTS & WINGS explores the liminal space between tension and tenderness, chaos and calm, holding steady and letting go.
It's about relationships -- to each other, to the earth, and as nurturers and the nurtured. So, there is distance and closeness, a leaning into or away from, a floating just out of reach. And, at times, what seems separate is likely connected by an especially subtle brushstroke.
The palette, pared back to black, white, and earthy tones return me to my own artistic roots: a study of script, minimalism, quietude.
I hope you find a lightness and a steadiness in these paintings. And a reminder that growth isn't always loud and boisterous. Sometimes it’s found in stillness. Sometimes it’s the quiet gathering of energy that makes flight possible.
Akwi has recently exhibited paintings at:
The Artist
Akwi Nji is a Cameroonian-American artist and author based in the United States. She creates contemporary abstract art inspired by nature and our human quest for harmony, connection, and belonging.
For almost two decades, Akwi has created through words (sometimes on the stage), film, poetry, and paintings. She was named Iowa's Poet of the Year in 2024 and received the Governor's Emerging Arts Leader award in 2025.
When she's not painting, she's enjoying sunsets, hummingbirds, full moons, and good coffee.