Ayo Akingbade

Ayo Akingbade is an artist, writer, and filmmaker. She was born in 1994 and grew up in East London. Ayo works primarily with film, print, and installation to address themes of power, urbanism, and stance. Much of Akingbade’s early work documented experiences of rapid social change brought about by gentrification in London, with a particular focus on Hackney. She has made twenty short films, ranging from experimental hybrids to more traditional narratives. Her work has toured and screened extensively, including at the New York Film Festival, Viennale, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Barbican Centre, and MoMA Doc Fortnight. Their short, ‘Jitterbug’ was selected as part of Directors’ Fortnight at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, and her first monograph, ‘Show Me The World Mister’ was published in 2023 by Book Works and Chisenhale Gallery. Ayo is currently working on her feature debut with early support from the BFI.