Through his “You Are Enough” series, Dreph said he hopes to pay tribute to ordinary Black women who are doing extraordinary things. (Image courtesy of Instagram)
With the sweep of a brush stroke, London-based artist Neequaye Dreph Dsane, better known as Dreph, is hoping to bring new visibility to the everyday Black woman by painting beautifully hued murals of his most inspirational female friends across the city.
Painted onto buildings in Soho and various spots in the east end of the bustling city, the vibrant murals are part of Dreph’s “You Are Enough” project, which is aimed at honoring ordinary women doing extraordinary things in the community. Speaking to Channel 4 News, the 43-year-old artist said he paints the women he knows from real life in an effort to make Black women more visible in everyday society.
British-Ghanaian artist @dreph is painting huge, beautiful pictures of ordinary black women on London's streets. pic.twitter.com/PayYdv6k4V
“At this moment in time, I’m celebrating Black women. That’s the community I’m from,” Dreph said in a short documentary. “I don’t think their stories are told enough. And I’m not waiting for anyone to tell our story; I’m telling our story by myself. I just take my cans, take my ladder, find a wall and do my paintings.
“For me, this project is about empowerment,” he added. “It’s about female empowerment.”
Some of the women highlighted in Dreph’s series include a health consultant, youth mentors, educators and home care workers, just to name a few.