Stephen Aifegha was born in Lagos State, located in the western region of Nigeria. His artistic practice is deeply influenced by his identity and culture as an African, shaped by his experiences of being born and raised in Nigeria. Although rooted in his Nigerian heritage, Aifegha identifies more broadly as African.

He is a contemporary African artist currently living and working in the United States. Aifegha holds a bachelor’s degree in art with a minor in visual communication from Idaho State University.

As a mixed-media artist, he incorporates newsprint and African fabrics as primary elements in his collages. The newspaper serves as a vehicle for social commentary, while African fabrics prominently featured in his work reflect his cultural identity and that of the broader African community.

Aifegha’s work focuses on post-colonial themes, addressing historical, political, and socio-cultural narratives. Through his art, he explores and depicts the enduring legacies of colonialism and the influence of Western culture on the African continent.

Discipline: Visual Arts

Steven Young Lee is an artist in Helena, Montana. He was the Director of the Archie Bray Foundation for 16 years until 2022. In 2004-05, he lectured and taught at universities throughout China as part of an educational exchange and spent time in Seoul, South Korea studying ceramic tradition and history. In 2005-6 he was a visiting professor at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C.

Lee has lectured extensively in North America and Asia. In the Fall of 2016 he was one of four artists featured as part of the Renwick Invitational at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. In 2019, he had a solo exhibition at the Portland Art Museum and in 2021, his work was included in “Crafting America”, at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

His work has been collected by the Smithsonian Museum, LACMA, the Portland Art Museum, the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Korea, and many private and public collections.

Lee earned his BFA and MFA from Alfred University