Outdoor Art Gallery
@ North Shattuck
Featured Artist Profile

Ashlie
Kègo

Hometown: Iowa City, IA

Ashlie Kègo is a Nigerian-American visual artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, celebrated for her vibrant and symbolic Afro-Cubist paintings. A self-taught artist, she discovered her passion for painting during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, transforming a time of stillness into a powerful creative awakening.

Influenced by her Nigerian roots, Ashlie’s work incorporates African masks, tribal markings, and bold geometric patterns that reflect the duality of identity and culture within the African diaspora. Her art celebrates heritage, resilience, and the shared human experience through vivid color, layered symbolism, and storytelling.

Her paintings have been exhibited at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, Macy’s, West Elm, on the BET Awards platform, and in several other galleries throughout California and beyond. Her work has also been acquired by international collectors. Ashlie partners with Sickle Cell 101, a nonprofit organization that provides education and advocacy for the sickle cell community, donating a portion of her art sales to their mission. Through her bold and expressive work, Ashlie Kègo uses art as a bridge between tradition and modern expression inviting viewers to connect, reflect, and celebrate the beauty of cultural identity.

Ashliekegoart.com
instagram.com

ART ON DISPLAY

Yakubu embodies royalty, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of ancestry. The dual-faced portrait represents the merging of past and present tradition meeting transformation. Drawing from African regal symbolism and stained-glass geometry, the bold contrasts of blue and gold convey wisdom and divine strength. The intricate patterns echo tribal markings, armor, and crowns of leadership, while the gold leaf radiates spiritual wealth and enlightenment. Yakubu honors the legacy of African kings and queens whose light endures through time, reminding us that true power lies in heritage, balance, and the courage to carry one’s lineage forward with pride.

Location: 37.87927, -122.26923 (near 1525 Shattuck Avenue in the median)

Ochiaga, meaning “The Warrior” in Igbo, celebrates inner strength and cultural pride. The split face reflects duality, courage and vulnerability, heritage and evolution showing that true warriors fight both external battles and the ones within. Influenced by African masks, tribal patterns, and stained-glass geometry, the bold lines and contrasting tones symbolize resilience through adversity. The earthy greens and fiery reds merge tradition with rebirth, while the intricate patterns pay homage to ancestral armor and identity. Ochiaga reminds us that strength is not just in battle, but in the balance of power, purpose, and peace.

Location: 37.87953, -122.26926 (near 1517 Shattuck Avenue in the median)

His/Hers explores the divine balance of masculine and feminine energy within us all. The dual-faced composition symbolizes unity, equality, and the harmony between strength and tenderness. Inspired by African geometric symbolism and stained-glass aesthetics, each bold shape and color reflects the multifaceted nature of identity and connection. Gold accents represent spiritual illumination and ancestral presence, while the textured hair and cowrie motifs celebrate cultural heritage. This piece invites viewers to embrace both sides of themselves, the protector and the nurturer as essential forces in creation, love, and self-discovery.

Location: 37.87887, -122.26919 (near 1537 Shattuck Avenue in the median)

Hope radiates resilience and renewal through the merging of light and strength. The sun, split yet whole, symbolizes perseverance through duality the coexistence of hardship and healing. Inspired by African symbolism and stained-glass design, its golden rays break through fragmented spaces of bold color, representing the human spirit’s power to shine even amid struggle. The use of gold leaf embodies divine light and the promise of abundance, while the expressive eyes mirror faith that endures. Hope is a visual prayer, a reminder that even when life feels divided, light always finds a way through.

Location: 37.87855, -122.26913 (near 1549 Shattuck Avenue in the median)