Nimah Gobir’s practice is informed by family, of the memories and stories of her siblings and Nigerian-born parents. Using hand-stitched embroidery, found textiles, and colorful passages of paint, Gobir endeavors to trace the “complexity and nuance of Black identity through the rich tapestry of my family’s history.” Her images recall candid snapshots, capturing the comfort and connections between relatives and friends, sharing moments of joy, relaxation, and the simple pleasure of being together. The use of stitching and fabrics expands on traditional painting, with the artist responding in color and brushwork to found, repetitive patterns and materials that allude to fond memories of quilts and hand-me-down clothes.
A painter and illustrator, Gobir is a California native and holds a BFA in studio art from Chapman University in Orange, California and a M.Ed in arts education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in galleries in San Francisco and Oakland, including a one woman show at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. She is the recipient of the Headlands Center for the Arts Tournesal Award for emerging Bay Area painters, a Recology artist residency, The Growlery Artist residency, the Root Division Blau teaching fellowship, and was named a San Francisco Museum of Modern Art SECA finalist. She was also recognized by the Museum of the African Diaspora Emerging Artist Program. Her work has appeared in publications including Artsy, 48 Hills, and SF/Arts. Gobir is represented by Johansson Projects.
Gobir resides in Oakland, California.
Instagram: findingnimah
