"I am interested in depicting a black Barbadian experience and my main goal is to instill a feeling of Nostalgia and curiosity in the people who view it.Through the new space of play that I am in I wish to be able to view my work from a similar lens as well."

Akilah Watts (b. 1996) is a Barbadian contemporary artist whose work explores the Black Barbadian experience. Working across painting, mixed media, and sculpture, Akilah creates multiple bodies of work exhibited both locally in Barbados and internationally in cities including New York, San Francisco, and Miami.

Since her first solo exhibition in March 2019, and a 2021 show at the World Trade Center in New York, Akilah's work has been featured in publications and platforms including Artsy, Les Iles, Easy Magazine, and M People Magazine. She's currently developing two ongoing bodies of work: one exploring her relationship with natural hair and Caribbean heritage, and Moments From My Island Home, which bridges realistic and idealized views of Barbados.

Hometown
Barbados