Jite Agbro

Jite Agbro is a Nigerian-American born artist, raised in Seattle, WA. Born to an African-American mother and a Nigerian father, she spent her first two years of life in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. She studied printmaking at the California College of Arts (Oakland) and Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle). In 2014, she received an MS in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, where her studies were focused on technology and interactivity. Today her artwork explores a cross-section of traditional print and digital mediums.

Conceptually, Jite’s work explores non-verbal communication through the use of dress forms and other clothing items.  The forms are often made of handmade beeswax paper that resembles parchment. Her work is often layered with text and representations of data to symbolize the way we internally perceive and externally project information. The common theme is the way in which accepted knowledge is continuously undermined by the ever-evolving and constant flow of new information.

Jite received 2015 GAP funding to travel to the city of Lagos, Nigeria, where whe will research two garments that have been used as status symbols for several hundred years. The grant she received is to help her cover the cost of producing the work and recording the stories upon her return.

Information included above was provided by artist at the time of application.