Shiri Achu
Biography
Shiri Achu was born in Cameroon, West Africa. She and her family immigrated to London, where she lived for many years. Today, she has studios in Cameroon, the UK and the USA, where she is currently based. Her preferred mediums are acrylics, but she works with oils and with mixed media.
Shiri Achu’s art comes from every day, unsurprising, yet unexpectedly vivid, moments, times, and places. She is reputed to capture the spirit of her subjects and make them come alive through form, color, texture, and tone.
One of the aims of Shiri Achu’s Art is to showcase the culture of Cameroon and other African countries worldwide. It’s also to bring back fond memories to those in the Diaspora. Shiri finds beauty in the woman carrying her child on her back and going on her way. She finds beauty in the old lady who makes her “achu” in her dark outdoor kitchen for her grandchildren. She finds beauty in the African fabrics. She finds beauty in the young girl climbing the tree.
Shiri’s paintings reflect the beautiful simplicity of Africa and she offers this to the western world to encourage understanding of the culture and interest in travel to African nations. Shiri loves also to paint carnivals scenes. Showcasing the colours, the movement, the moment. She aims also to bring joy to homes!
The 30th Act, Shiri’s first solo exhibition, 35InPrint:London exhibition took place in April 2014 and during the one week long exhibition, the mayor of Harrow attended along with the late Mr. Barry Lord (Shiri’s mentor and museum designer of the new Smithsonian African American museum).
36InPrint:DC exhibition kicked off with Shiri attending a discussion group on “Champions of change for expanding fair chance opportunities” at the White House and ended with a recognition letter from Congressman Chris Van Hollen, “…in presenting the inaugural 36InPrint Art exhibition and with appreciation for using art to capture the spirit of African culture in our community.”
37InPrint:Australia exhibition took place in Adelaide in July 2016. 38InPrint: Jamaica exhibition took place at The University of The West Indies, Regional Headquarters from 25th August – 8th September 2017. 39InPrint: Toronto exhibition took place at Ariilon in Toronto in December 2018.
Shiri has been privileged to exhibit and talk about her paintings at The Commonwealth Secretariat in London, The Houses of Parliament, The African Village at London Olympics 2012, and also the BBC TV show “Show me the Monet” after her painting “Rose” was shortlisted for the show in 2012.
US art critic Lennox Campello chose her works as TOP 10 at the Artomatic art exhibition where hundreds of artists come together under one roof, over several floors to exhibit. In his write-up, he states, Shiri Achu’s art is "Powerful African Art in a marriage of contemporary skills with strong African imagery…" Lenny Campello
Shiri's works have been featured in several magazines, newspapers, blogs, and the book, International Contemporary Masters VII, published by World Wide Art books Inc, pages 64-65. Also, The Smithsonian (The shop at the National Museum of African Art) orders, and sells out of, Shiri Achu Art limited edition prints.
Prominent public figures like Africa’s Cameroonian football legend Roger Milla, Grammy award-winning American singers Brandy and Faith Evans, British actor James Faulkner, British soul singer (MBE) Omar, Cameroon makossa legendary musicians: Papa Salle John, Sam Fan Thomas and Prince Ndedi Eyango; Ghanaian politician, daughter of Kwame Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah; Jamaican living legend Mutabaruka; singers: Angelique Kidjo, and Soul Queen Angie Stone all own Shiri Achu Art.
Shiri Achu Art is also owned by over 400 collectors who buy from her website, at art fairs, group and solo exhibitions and also from those who buy from The Smithsonian and elsewhere…
Ten years after her first solo exhibition at St Augustine’s Tower in London in 2009, Shiri Achu was excited to celebrate her 10th anniversary in 2019 with ‘The 40th Act’ exhibitions which took place first at the very same venue where she had her first exhibition in London, St Augustine’s Tower in August 2019 , then at The Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC in November 2019. Shiri finally ended the year by exhibiting The 40th Act, Part 2 DC at The University of the District of Columbia in December 2019.
On and on, she goes. Thereafter, she exhibited 41Inprint:Worldwide as a virtual exhibition and 42InPrint (SYNCED with the The 40th Act) in December 2021 at Gallery MAM in Douala, Cameroon. 43InPrint:Yaounde took place at The National Museum of Yaoundé in November 2022.
When Shiri receives messages such as this, “I can recognize your art as beautiful because it makes my heart want to smile” Samir Malik, she is encouraged to keep working hard and motivated to keep making hearts smile. She is grateful and thankful for every encouragement and opportunity that enables her to keep painting. She is grateful for the opportunity to mentor young people in London, Cameroon, and the USA.
Shiri is extremely pleased and excited that she is achieving one of her goals of promoting the African Culture worldwide, through her art works, workshops and her annual worldwide InPrint exhibitions.
AWARDS / ACCOLADES
- ‘The best Artist in Brent’ by the Brent Council. London
- TOP 10 Artist at “Artomatic” 2016, Washington DC
- Citation presented by Member of Congress, Chris Van Hollen, to Shiri Achu Art in recognition of… ‘presenting the inaugural 36InPrintDC art exhibition, and with appreciation for using art to capture the spirit of Africa culture in our community.’14th May 2016
- Distinguished Fellowship of African Art and Culture, FAAC
- Advisor on The Artomatic Board 2019 / 2020 https://www.artomatic.org/
- Board of Directors – Artomatic 2020 - present
- Inclusion as a Marquis Who’s who biographical listee.
- Ayoo Africa Top Ten 2020 – Art 2020
- Culture Award – April 2022
- Ambassador of the Restructuring of the Arts of Cameroon -Dec. – 2022
- Faces of Peace Award – October 2022
Country United States
Website www.shiriachuart.com
