Influenced by Afropessimism, Afrofuturism, African Ecofeminism, Womenism and Intersectional Black Feminism, Shaheen’s artistic practice transcends traditional boundaries, encompassing various mediums, including curative work. At the heart lies an intersectional and decolonial orientation. Their creations aim to evoke deep emotions and invite participants to critically engage with themes of identity, race, and colonial legacies. Shaheen seeks to provoke dialogue, inspire collective action, and reshape the artistic and social landscape into a more inclusive and equitable realm.
As a photographer and political activist Shaheen has documented Black resistance in Berlin since 2012 and organised community building with the international movement for Black Lives since 2017. Their latest contributions have been part of the “Black Gaze Matters” group show, curated by the Antipode online art gallery, and featured in the bookazine “grenzenlos” published by Josephine Abraku & Christopher Nixon.
As a mental health professional and political educator, they is deeply interested in psychological frameworks, social-emotional learning, transgenerational healing, and decolonial methodologies – rejecting the dominance of whiteness and Eurocentric perspectives as reference points. After over a decade of surviving, living and learning in Berlin, Shaheen has relocated to The Gambia, infusing their work with a profound change of perspective and thought-provoking essence.
❝ If the use of they/them pronouns raises discomfort in you,
I encourage introspection. Gendered pronouns are absent in many African languages, prompting reflection on their significance in a colonial language.Shaheen