Glo-sponsored programme features UK photographer

The African Voices, a Globacom-sponsored magazine programme on CNN International this week features London-based photographer and multidisciplinary artist, Ejatu Shaw.

According to a statement shared with Saturday PUNCH, Shaw’s work explores identity, heritage and memory through striking visual storytelling.

Born in 1996, Shaw is a graduate of the University of Westminster, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Photography Arts in 2020. However, her creative journey began earlier, during a 2013 family visit to Sierra Leone, which she describes as the moment her artistic vision first emerged.

Her work blends Islamic faith with African cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from legendary studio photographers such as Malick Sidibé, Sory Sanlé, and Omar Yahia Barram, whose styles subtly influence her visual approach.

Through self-portraiture and conceptual photography, Shaw transforms personal memories into layered visual narratives that explore identity, memory and self-reflection, often bridging the past and present in symbolic form.

Her career has continued to gain global recognition. In 2025, she was named a New Wave Creative by the British Fashion Council, marking her as one of a new generation of emerging cultural voices.

In the same year, she worked with several international figures, including photographing Angela Bassett for EBONY, Cynthia Erivo for The Guardian, Sunday Times and Vogue, as well as Usain Bolt for Puma. She also shot and conceptualised the album cover for musician Craig David.

African Voices airs on CNN International on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., with repeat broadcasts on Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.