Storytelling, Emotional reflection, Identity: A Representation of Bali Audu & Her Unique Henna-inspired Dot Technique in the World of Visual Arts

Storytelling, Emotional reflection, Identity are some of the ways  Bali Audu uses her unique henna-inspired dot technique to communicate and connect  with her audience. She does this by interpolating the basic principles gained in her study of Textile Arts in University of Lagos, where she learned to think about pattern, repetition, texture, layering and rhythm, and how individual elements can come together to create a larger composition.

In conversation with FashionEVO, Bali Audu walked us through her journey, highlighting her  creative processes and the sneak peak into the vision for the future.

 

1. Your work centres on portraiture and figurative works, often incorporating a distinctive Henna-inspired dot technique. If you were to channel your creativity using another technique, what technique would it be and why?

 

I think I would explore large-scale charcoal drawing. There is something very raw and immediate about charcoal that I really like. My dot technique is quite repetitive and requires a lot of patience, so I think working with charcoal would allow me to express something more spontaneous and gestural.

I would still want the work to retain the emotional and storytelling quality that is central to my practice, but I would be interested in seeing how much I could communicate through line, shadow and movement.

 

2. You use repetitive dot patterns inspired by the cultural significance of lalle (henna) in Northern Nigeria to build layered compositions that speak to memory, resilience, transformation, and belonging. What drew you to this technique?

 

My relationship with this technique comes from different influences that eventually came together in my practice. I was born in Northern Nigeria, where lalle (Henna) has a strong cultural presence and has traditionally been used for body art, particularly during celebrations and important occasions. I have always been drawn to that tradition and the beauty of the patterns created with henna.

At the same time, I have a strong interest in Indian culture, particularly the intricate patterns and use of dots in Indian mandala designs. Although mandala is completely different from henna, I was fascinated by the way dots could be used to create rhythm, pattern and intricate forms.

 

I also naturally gravitated towards using dots in my own work, so over time I began bringing these influences together with my own artistic language. I use acrylic paint to create repetitive dots and build my images gradually, which eventually developed into what I now describe as my Henna-inspired dot technique.

What I love most about working this way is the patience and repetition involved. Each dot may seem small on its own, but thousands of them can come together to create an image and a story. That process has become an important part of how I think about memory, experience and the way individual moments can shape something much bigger.

 

3. As someone who studied and has a degree in Textile Arts, what can you say are the similarities and differences between Textile Art and your unique Henna-inspired dot technique?

 

Studying Textile Arts has definitely influenced the way I approach my paintings. Textile art taught me to think about pattern, repetition, texture, layering and rhythm, and how individual elements can come together to create a larger composition.

 

The difference is that with my current practice, I have translated some of those ideas into painting. Instead of working primarily with threads or fabric, I use acrylic paint to create the dots and build my images. 

 

So although the materials are different, I still see a strong connection between the discipline I developed through studying Textile Arts and the way I construct my paintings today.

 

4. Storytelling, emotional reflection, identity, resilience, and shared human experiences are ways you use your work to communicate and connect with your audience. What is the process that goes behind all these to create the exceptional pieces you exhibit?

 

For me, the process usually begins with an idea, an emotion, or something I have experienced or observed. I spend time thinking about what I want the work to communicate before I begin making it. Sometimes the image develops from a particular person or expression, while other times it starts with a feeling or a story I want to explore.

Once I begin, the process becomes quite intuitive. The dots are built gradually, layer by layer, and that requires a lot of patience. I don’t see the dots as simply a technique; they are part of the way I tell the story.

 

The repetition gives me time to sit with the idea and allows the work to evolve as I work on it. Sometimes what I initially imagined changes along the way, and I allow that to happen because I believe the work can also reveal things to me during the process.

 

5. Over the years, you have explored murals and craft-based practices across public and private spaces before you fully transitioned into studio practice. Do you miss working on murals? What can you say was your favourite experience while working on a mural?

 

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I miss working on murals because I still take on mural projects from time to time. My studio practice is my main focus now, but I enjoy returning to mural work when the right project comes along.

One of the things I enjoyed most about working on murals was having the opportunity to work with clients who trusted my craft and gave me the freedom to create. A lot of my mural projects involved designing directly on the wall rather than working from a fixed reference. I might show the client a sample or an idea of what I had in mind, but I was often trusted to develop the final composition myself. That freedom made the process very rewarding.

 

One of my favourite experiences was working on the mural for Tim and Carol Gallery, because it gave me the opportunity to see how my work could transform a physical space. I also really enjoyed working with children during a school project in Cameroon. There was something very special about creating alongside them and seeing their excitement and curiosity around the process.

So while I have moved my main focus to studio practice, I don’t see murals as something I have completely left behind. I still take them on occasionally when a project connects with me.

 

6. If you were to give a piece of advice to your younger self in the pursuit of your career as a visual artist within the African creative ecosystem, what would it be?

 

I would tell my younger self to be more open to the possibilities within what I was already doing.

I have always been serious about my creative practice, but for a long time I didn’t have the confidence to see painting on canvas as something I could fully pursue. I had already been using my dot technique for more than ten years, experimenting with it on different surfaces and objects—from boards and calabash lamps to even creating a dining table using the technique. I was creating and experimenting, but I didn’t necessarily see where it could lead.

 

Sometimes, along the way, we meet people who help us see beyond what we already know about ourselves. They can recognise a possibility in us that we haven’t paid much attention to and make us realise that we can do more with something we have been doing for years.

 

So I would tell my younger self to remain curious, stay open to new possibilities and not limit what my creative practice could become simply because I hadn’t explored it yet.

Sometimes the thing you have been doing all along is already pointing you towards where you are meant to go—you just need someone or something to help you see it differently.

 

7. If you were to use just one colour to work on your next piece, what colour would it be and what kind of piece would you work on?

 

Green. I have been using blue and yellow quite a lot recently, so I think I would like to challenge myself to explore green more.

I’m interested in the different emotions and meanings that green can evoke, particularly growth, renewal and possibility. I would probably create a figurative work and experiment with different shades of green, while still allowing small touches of other colours to come through.

 

I think it would be interesting to see how much emotion I could communicate by pushing one colour in different directions.

 

8. Being committed to cultural exchange and arts education, and having facilitated different workshops, what can you say is the impact of these initiatives in the creative space, especially within a system that often negates arts and creativity?

 

I think arts education is important because creativity is often treated as something secondary, especially in systems where academic or conventional career paths are given more value.

Workshops create opportunities for people to realise that creativity is not just about becoming an artist. It can be a way of thinking, communicating, solving problems and understanding yourself.

 

For me, facilitating workshops is also a form of cultural exchange. I don’t see it simply as teaching a technique. I enjoy creating a space where people can experiment, ask questions and discover something about themselves through making.

Even if someone doesn’t become an artist, I believe that confidence and freedom to create can stay with them. And for young people especially, being exposed to art early can help them see possibilities that they may not have considered before.

 

9. What direction would you like arts and creativity to move towards in the near future and what do you think can be done to make that happen?

 

I would like to see the creative space move towards a system where artists and young creatives are not only celebrated for their talent but are genuinely supported in developing sustainable careers.

There is so much talent across Africa, but talent alone is not always enough. People need access to mentorship, funding, education, professional opportunities, creative spaces and networks. Sometimes you meet incredibly talented young people who have so much potential, but without the right support and guidance, they may never get the opportunity to fully develop it.

 

I would also like to see the arts become more accessible outside traditional art spaces, so that young people from different backgrounds can encounter art, experiment with creativity and understand that creative careers are valid possibilities.

I think institutions, galleries, organisations, private individuals and artists all have a role to play in creating that ecosystem. If we can provide the right support and guidance, especially early in people’s journeys, we can help more creatives take their potential further and contribute meaningfully to the cultural landscape.

 

There is so much talent that never gets the opportunity to fully become what it could be. I would like to see us build a creative ecosystem that gives that talent a real chance to grow.

10. Finally, what would you like Bali Audu to be known for in the near future?

 

I want Bali Audu to be known for creating work that makes people pause and feel something.

 

I want my practice to be recognised for its distinctive visual language, but beyond the technique, I want the stories and emotions behind the work to remain with people. I want people to be able to connect with the work even when the experience or story is not necessarily their own.

 

I also want to be known as an artist who continues to evolve. I don’t want to be defined by one technique or one series. I want to keep challenging myself, exploring new ideas and creating work that speaks to our shared human experiences in ways that can connect with people both within and beyond Nigeria.

Ultimately, I want my work to leave people with something to think about, something to feel, or perhaps even something about themselves that they hadn’t considered before.

 

For Bali Audu, creating pieces of art is, in and of itself, a means of communication and transformation of ideas, thoughts and imagination into tangible substance showing that there is no limit to what can be achieved within the African creative ecosystem and that one just has to open up their mind to the endless possibilities.