Shannon Bono was born to Sierra Leonean and Congolese parents in Tottenham, London, England in 1995. She earned a BSc in Biochemistry in 2019, followed by an MA in Art and Science from Central Saint Martins and an Associate Fellowship from the University of the Arts London (2021). Her compelling self-portraits navigate complex narratives of Black womanhood, incorporating elements such as African textiles, African spirituality, Christian iconography, as well as scientific visualisations of sickle and nerve cells.
Artist Shannon Bono was born to Sierra Leonean and Congolese parents in Tottenham, London, England in 1995. From an early age, she was drawn to painting but was discouraged due to the limited visibility of Black female artists and family expectations. Initially considering a medical career as a means to help improve healthcare for Black women, she earned a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Essex (2016), followed by an MA in Art and Science from Central Saint Martins (2019) and an Associate Fellowship from the University of the Arts London (UAL, 2021).
A figurative artist, Bono employs a mix of painting, collage, and sculpture to portray complex narratives of Black womanhood. Leveraging her scientific background in cell biology, microbiology, and anatomy, she crafts art that serves as a political statement through micro anatomical references. She employs this imagery ‘to metaphorically and sometimes literally depict what is occurring internally to the central figures’ (cited in Hill 2021). Through ethnographic and archival research, she elevates Black womxn in her art to a near-sacred status, surrounding her figures with African prints that signify the challenges they confront. Apart from her mother and a few close friends, she primarily uses photographs of herself as the subject for her oil paintings. Her art evokes the majestic rituals found in Renaissance and Byzantine traditions, skillfully weaving together elements from African textiles, voodoo culture and spirituality, and Christian iconography, as well as scientific depictions of sickle and nerve cells as symbols of both cultural and biological existence.
Bono's naked female subjects are superimposed on colorful, intricate backgrounds and possess a transparent quality, allowing the underlying patterns to show through. Her designs often draw inspiration from Dutch wax fabrics prevalent in West and Central Africa, where they serve as symbols of family and special occasions. Embracing an Afrofemcentrist identity, Bono views race, gender, and art as integral to her lifestyle, spotlighting Black women as both creators and subjects. She employs the Black femme body to delve into historical narratives and advocate for liberation and self-determination. Inspired by Christian and African iconography, she portrays women as reservoirs of wisdom and pillars of strength. Her 2019 self-portrait Bebe moké nani abêti yo (the title translates from Bantu to 'Who will give birth to you, small child?') serves as a prime example of what Bono calls 'anatomical manipulation' for storytelling. In the piece, Bono portrays herself naked, with limbs amputated and eyes whitened, featuring rubber streaks across her body. The powerful imagery alludes to the brutal period under King Leopold II of Belgium, when slaves who failed to meet rubber quotas were subjected to arm and leg amputations. In another unsettling self-portrait, Bono mutilated her own body as a way to reference the brutalities inflicted during the more recent blood diamond-related civil conflict in Sierra Leone.
In 2021, Bono presented her first solo show, The Hands That Hold You at Anderson Contemporary in London. The exhibition, featuring a series of paintings and works on paper created during her year-long residency at the gallery, weaved both personal and ancestral stories of Black diasporic womanhood, African spirituality, and mysticism. Drawing from her Congolese heritage, Bono celebrated the spiritual and social status of women in Congo. Fascinated by artifacts usually displayed in Western museums, she aimed to uncover the functional and mystical significance beyond their aesthetic appeal. By studying traditional Congolese sculpture associated with fertility, beauty, and authority, Bono juxtaposed these images with recurring depictions of herself, thus linking to the ancestral world.
In 2021, Bono was selected for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries award and exhibited at Firstsite, Colchester and the South London Gallery. Her recent exhibitions include Bold Black British, Christie’s (2021), Reclaiming Magic at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2021) and the group show, Love is the Devil: Studies after Francis Bacon, Marlborough Gallery, London (2022). She also co-hosted the 2020 exhibition The Aesthetic of Textile at Berntson Ghattacharjee Gallery, London, with British-Nigerian artist Sola Olulode, celebrating the influence of West and Central African textile craftsmanship on contemporary artists. In 2023, Bono's portrait of Jamaican-born magistrate Linda Haye was among 10 works commissioned by HM King Charles III to celebrate the Windrush Generation and featured in the Windrush: Portraits of A Pioneering Generation exhibition at Edinburgh's Palace of Holyrood and later at the National Portrait Gallery, London. The portrait captured Haye as she appeared on her first day at the Police Complaints Authority, where she was the first Black woman appointed to the position. Bono utilised vibrant colors evocative of Jamaican beaches and incorporated Jamaica's national flower, the Lignum Vitae, as well as books symbolising Haye's academic accomplishments.
Since 2020, Bono has served as a visual artist and associate lecturer at the University of the Arts London, where her educational focus aims to 'decolonise the curriculum,' advocating for the inclusion and appreciation of diverse artists and cultures (Hill 2021). In the UK public domain Shannon Bono’s work is represented in the Royal Collection Trust.
Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Shannon Bono]
Publications related to [Shannon Bono] in the Ben Uri Library