A painting of a woman with her eyes closed, wearing earrings and a white shirt with black detail. She has a stack of two teal books on her head, with the top book featuring gold text and design, including the words "Vagabond" and "Forever Lost 1804". The background is composed of abstract gray and white shapes.
A woman with dark skin and closed eyes balances a stack of green hoodies on her head, with a background of green and brown foliage.

Vagabond

Art Direction

Concept Development

Print Design

Production Design

Styling

The Vagabond zine was conceptualized with frequent collaborator, friend and artist Hanz alongside Kwabena during a special time when visions were closely aligned. This zine was inspired by the texture of a familiar story that both artists hold dear to their hearts. The story of the resilient Vagabond, defined by losing your ideas of origin in order to create a new reality of home. As children of immigrants, this was something we’re all too familiar with. Capturing this essence was done by tapping into research of past ideas that came before us and channeling it into a tool that has been used to support ourselves and community; commerce.

  • An image of Greenspacing.

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  • An image of Greenspacing.

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  • An image of Greenspacing.

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Open booklet showing abstract image and flag of Laos with red, blue, and white colors.
A man with dark hair and beard sitting on a wooden chair, wearing a white t-shirt with a graphic and text, in a room with pictures on the wall, with torn paper design overlay.
Colorful portraits of a woman with a banner reading 'Malibongwe' printed on her head, displayed on printouts and an open magazine page showing black-and-white photos of the same woman.
Collage of four people in casual clothing arranged in a diamond shape with a small starburst symbol at the center on a white background.
Black and white background featuring a stylized hand holding a smartphone with a shopping cart icon on the screen
A young woman with dark skin and dreadlocks wearing a green hoodie with a gold emblem, sitting with one hand resting on her leg and the other raised, against a plain white background. At the top, there are five small images of an ancient coin or artifact with different color filters.
A painting of a woman with her eyes closed, wearing yellow earrings and a white shirt. She has dark hair styled with twists. Above her head is a light blue box with yellow lettering that says "VÅGABOND" and "FOREVER LOST 1884," surrounded by a yellow wreath and a central starburst symbol. The background is composed of abstract, flowing gray shapes.
Black-and-white collage featuring people, artwork, and text discussing Ghanaian market culture and the author's experiences in Nigeria and Ghana.

The artistic direction of this project was integral in the distinct look of the zine. Steeped deep in research and experimentation, the graphic identity was developed by Kwabena through inspiration and references of forgotten aesthetics. The bespoke visual language is a product of the boutique-like artistic offerings provided by Kaads. Mediums such as illustrative art, collages, graphic design and animations are all deployed to deliver a product that feels intellectual and organic.

Two people sitting on a couch in a living room with framed pictures and decorative wall lights. A sculpture of a seated man is on a table in front of them.
A man and a woman sitting outdoors in front of a leafy hedge. The woman is sitting on a plastic crate, wearing a white t-shirt and colorful pants. The man is seated on the ground, wearing white pants and a white t-shirt, holding a bundle of dried herbs in his right hand and leaning back against the hedge.
A young girl standing indoors, holding a basket on her head, with a young man in the background. The room has framed pictures and flags on the wall, with colorful decorations.
Four people standing on an overgrown lot with a tall ivy-covered wall and some metal framework.

The styling and production design was highly considered in order to create the texture of a world that reflects the spirit of the clothes and project. Specific location consideration and context styling were executed to enhance the world-building.

A table with a blue tablecloth featuring various items including a person peeling a banana, a bowl of strawberries and blueberries, a bowl of bananas, a magazine with photos of a person and objects, a note, a small pitcher, a spoon with a striped handle, and a small bowl with a reddish-orange sauce.