Kingsley Nebechi creates artwork for BuzzFeed to celebrate Black History Month

London-based graphic designer Kingsley Nebechi has created illustrations to accompany Buzzfeed’s Black History Month content. Featuring a series of portraits, vibrant patterns and a red, yellow and blue colour palette, the artwork will appear across the site this October.

“The composition was inspired by the duality and richness within black culture,” Nebechi told It’s Nice That. “I wanted the artwork to embody vibrance, uniqueness and unity. I love creating art that celebrates black culture. It’s a great way to honour and pay tribute to the amazing heritage that continues to hold us together.”

Born in Nigeria and raised in Italy, Nebechi has worked for clients including Nike, the BBC and Island Records, as well collaborating with musicians such as Beyoncé, Stormzy and Lauryn Hill.

Nebechi’s design also features the typeface Jubilat by New York-based Joshua Darden, one of the few black typeface designers working in the US. Darden published his first typeface aged just 15 and has clients such as Sky, Time Warner, Lego, Penguin Random House and Save the Children on his portfolio.

Every year Buzzfeed commissions an illustrator or designer to develop artwork to mark Black History Month, which is celebrated in October. In 2018, the media company commissioned Dale Edwin Murray, whose illustration featured portraits, peeping out around central type.