The Art of Being Unfinished: Inside Yahaya Yisa’s Quiet World
Yahaya Yisa sketches identity, memory, and cultural duality through raw, unfinished lines and quiet intensity.
A quiet kind of intensity
Minimal. Raw. Reflective. These are the words that come to mind when viewing Yahaya Yisa’s work. The Nigerian artist has carved out a visual style that blends loose, pencil-drawn forms with delicate color palettes and a deeply personal tone.
Yahaya’s pieces aren’t about perfection. They feel like moments caught mid-thought, unfinished in the best way, like a conversation that’s still unfolding.
Art is how I think aloud. I sketch through emotions and questions ~ Yahaya Yisa
His work captures the emotional spaces between people — the silences, the memories, the cultural layers that sit between where we’re from and who we’re becoming.
Finding form in imperfection
Rather than masking process, Yahaya leans into it. You can see every pencil stroke, every trace of his hand on the canvas. That intentional roughness invites the viewer into his world, not as a passive observer, but as a participant.
There’s beauty in the mess. I’m not trying to clean it up ~ Yahaya Yisa
From quick sketches that feel like journal entries to more contemplative pieces, there’s a softness to Yahaya’s storytelling but also a weight.
A global yet grounded voice
Though based in Nigeria, Yahaya has exhibited in the UK, Brazil, Italy, and Greece. His work speaks a visual language that transcends place, but always remains rooted in his identity.
Image courtesy - Artly Mix
And that lens shaped by memory, culture, and emotional honesty gives his art its distinctive presence.
I carry where I’m from into everything I make ~ Yahaya Yisa
What’s next?
Yahaya’s journey is ongoing. Like his art, it’s evolving, expanding, but still deeply personal. Whether through solo exhibitions or quiet sketching sessions, he continues to use simplicity as a way to connect.
Art isn’t just for the wall. It’s a space. One that makes us pause ~ Yahaya Yisa
A quiet kind of intensity
Minimal. Raw. Reflective. These are the words that come to mind when viewing Yahaya Yisa’s work. The Nigerian artist has carved out a visual style that blends loose, pencil-drawn forms with delicate color palettes and a deeply personal tone.
Yahaya’s pieces aren’t about perfection. They feel like moments caught mid-thought, unfinished in the best way, like a conversation that’s still unfolding.
Art is how I think aloud. I sketch through emotions and questions ~ Yahaya Yisa
His work captures the emotional spaces between people — the silences, the memories, the cultural layers that sit between where we’re from and who we’re becoming.
Finding form in imperfection
Rather than masking process, Yahaya leans into it. You can see every pencil stroke, every trace of his hand on the canvas. That intentional roughness invites the viewer into his world, not as a passive observer, but as a participant.
There’s beauty in the mess. I’m not trying to clean it up ~ Yahaya Yisa
From quick sketches that feel like journal entries to more contemplative pieces, there’s a softness to Yahaya’s storytelling but also a weight.
A global yet grounded voice
Though based in Nigeria, Yahaya has exhibited in the UK, Brazil, Italy, and Greece. His work speaks a visual language that transcends place, but always remains rooted in his identity.
Image courtesy - Artly Mix
And that lens shaped by memory, culture, and emotional honesty gives his art its distinctive presence.
I carry where I’m from into everything I make ~ Yahaya Yisa
What’s next?
Yahaya’s journey is ongoing. Like his art, it’s evolving, expanding, but still deeply personal. Whether through solo exhibitions or quiet sketching sessions, he continues to use simplicity as a way to connect.
Art isn’t just for the wall. It’s a space. One that makes us pause ~ Yahaya Yisa
A quiet kind of intensity
Minimal. Raw. Reflective. These are the words that come to mind when viewing Yahaya Yisa’s work. The Nigerian artist has carved out a visual style that blends loose, pencil-drawn forms with delicate color palettes and a deeply personal tone.
Yahaya’s pieces aren’t about perfection. They feel like moments caught mid-thought, unfinished in the best way, like a conversation that’s still unfolding.
Art is how I think aloud. I sketch through emotions and questions ~ Yahaya Yisa
His work captures the emotional spaces between people — the silences, the memories, the cultural layers that sit between where we’re from and who we’re becoming.
Finding form in imperfection
Rather than masking process, Yahaya leans into it. You can see every pencil stroke, every trace of his hand on the canvas. That intentional roughness invites the viewer into his world, not as a passive observer, but as a participant.
There’s beauty in the mess. I’m not trying to clean it up ~ Yahaya Yisa
From quick sketches that feel like journal entries to more contemplative pieces, there’s a softness to Yahaya’s storytelling but also a weight.
A global yet grounded voice
Though based in Nigeria, Yahaya has exhibited in the UK, Brazil, Italy, and Greece. His work speaks a visual language that transcends place, but always remains rooted in his identity.
Image courtesy - Artly Mix
And that lens shaped by memory, culture, and emotional honesty gives his art its distinctive presence.
I carry where I’m from into everything I make ~ Yahaya Yisa
What’s next?
Yahaya’s journey is ongoing. Like his art, it’s evolving, expanding, but still deeply personal. Whether through solo exhibitions or quiet sketching sessions, he continues to use simplicity as a way to connect.
Art isn’t just for the wall. It’s a space. One that makes us pause ~ Yahaya Yisa
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