STELLA JONES GALLERY is proud to present the pairing of two artists separated by geography but whose interest in art began at early ages through comic books. They each formulated their view of the world and the worlds view of them through the media and decided to provide a fresh and, some would say,
magical view of what it means to be Black.

Anje was born in Bamenda, Cameroon and has become known for his portraiture of Sapeurs, a subculture of impeccably dressed dandies from the Congo. It is a code of living in the midst of the extreme poverty and war-torn living conditions. He shines a light on consumer culture, using logos from fashion brands while also tackling racial injustice and other social issues. His work offers a vibrant, sophisticated view of the Black body.

“I want to give value to the black body, I’m trying to give some kind of attention, some kind of attraction, to the person of color.”

Anje received a Master’s Degree in Drawing and Painting from the Foumban Institute of Fine Arts in Cameroon. His influences include Andy Warhol’s Pop culture, Tim Okamura, Fahamu Pecou, Amy Sherald, and Kehinde Wiley. His work is found in major collections around the world including the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Lister was born in Shreveport, LA. His work provides social commentary on the struggles and lifestyles of Black Americans with an approach that is raw, edgy, and methodical. He utilizes the visual language of stylized figures, icons, text, symbols and bold color combinations, along with imagery from popular culture.

Lister received a BFA from Bowie State University and attended Morgan State University. He has a myriad of influences on his work but considers Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cy Twombly, Gustav Klimt, Robert Rauschenberg, Henri Matisse and Roy Lichenstein to be his greatest inspirations. His work is found in many private collections as well as the permanent collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art.

For over two decades Stella Jones Gallery has played a pivotal role in highlighting the historical relevance of Black Art. We were selected as a 2018 Downtown NOLA Awards Honoree for bringing diversity to downtown New Orleans and are listed as a Cultural Landmark by “The Drum” newspaper and named by “Thrillist” as one of the four spots that have transformed the Arts District in NOLA’s hottest neighborhood.