Kojo Art X

11/12/2025

Meet Enda Boyle—a poet for everyday people 📖✨

Enda Boyle writes poetry that doesn't demand a degree to understand. His work feels like conversations with a friend—honest, funny, heartbreaking, and real. Based in Belfast, Enda has published his work across multiple platforms, including his chapbook 'Love Songs Of The Precariously Employed', which he describes as "a mixtape I made for you."

What makes his poetry special? He writes about the lives most poets ignore. Shift work and night classes. Fortnights in Greece. Growing waistlines and receding hairlines. The high price of IVF. But here's the magic: within these everyday struggles, he finds moments of profound beauty. A wedge of moon illuminating a slim profile outside a ruined church. Magic in the night despite time running out.

His poems are informal, playful, and rooted in Irish vernacular—meant to be read while waiting for the bus or for the kettle to boil. Think of them as poetry for real life, not just literary journals.

At Chromatic Dialogues, Enda will be doing something powerful: interpreting and honoring the visual artworks he loves through original verses. When his words meet the artworks, something extraordinary happens. Poetry doesn't just describe art—it deepens it, challenges it, celebrates it.

This is poetry that speaks truth to power. This is art that belongs to everyone.

December 14 | 6:30 PM | Banana Block, Belfast | FREE ENTRY

Come hear a poet who writes for people like you and me. Swipe to see what moves him 👉

09/12/2025

Meet Michael Sidwell—the voice that feels like home 🎵✨

Michael Sidwell brings something rare to Chromatic Dialogues: songs that feel like conversations with an old friend.

With warm vocals and poetic storytelling, Michael crafts intimate acoustic pieces that don't try to impress—they just speak the truth. His sound is stripped back, honest, and deeply human. When you listen to Michael, you're not hearing a performance; you're being invited into a world of reflection, vulnerability, and genuine emotion.

This is pop folk at its most authentic. His acoustic-driven style sits somewhere between the intimate confessional of a songwriter and the heartfelt warmth of someone sharing stories around a fire. Every lyric lands because it comes from real places—loss, love, hope, belonging.

At Chromatic Dialogues, Michael will be one of three musicians weaving their sound through the evening, responding to stunning visual art and original poetry. Imagine his warm, intimate voice accompanying Babalola's vibrant portraits, Joel's timeless pieces or Yomi's mesmerizing butterflies—that's the kind of magic happens when different art forms meet.

This is music for people who feel deeply. This is art for those seeking real connection. 🌟

December 14 | 6:30 PM | Banana Block, Belfast | FREE ENTRY

Come experience an evening where every art form—visual, poetic, musical—speaks to each other. You won't forget it.

Swipe to meet Michael 👉

25/11/2025

Meet Babalola Mahmood—bringing cultural fire to Chromatic Dialogues 🔥🎨

Here's an artist whose work demands to be seen and felt. Babalola Mahmood is a contemporary visual artist from Nigeria whose paintings are vivid explorations of cultural identity, African heritage, and the diaspora experience.

What makes his work so striking? He bridges the traditional and the modern. Babalola combines traditional African motifs with bold, contemporary techniques, creating compositions that celebrate African identity while speaking to a universal audience. Every brushstroke tells a story of heritage, resilience, and beauty.

Looking at pieces like "Girl with the Flower" and "Orekeléwa," you immediately feel the depth and intention behind each color choice, each symbol. His use of vibrant palettes—emerald greens, striking reds, electric teals—isn't just aesthetic. It's a celebration of life, of presence, of African joy.

At Chromatic Dialogues, you'll experience Babalola's work alongside poets who interpret his art, musicians who amplify its energy, and a community that appreciates authentic creative expression. This is more than an exhibition—it's a cultural conversation.

December 14 | 6:30 PM | Banana Block, Belfast | FREE ENTRY

Come meet the artist. Stand in front of his work. Feel the chromatic dialogues come alive. 🌟

Swipe to see his stunning pieces 👉

24/11/2025

Black Friday just got MORE beautiful 🎨✨

We're bringing Kojo Art X to East Block Bazaar on November 30th (Noon-4pm) and it's going to be GOOD.

Looking for authentic gifts that actually mean something? Handcrafted pieces from emerging African artists, stunning home décor, and exclusive new arrivals—UP TO 25% OFF this Black Friday 🖤

Whether you're hunting for that one-of-a-kind Christmas gift, upgrading your space with bold contemporary art, or discovering new artists, we've got you covered.

What's in the stall:
✓ Stunning handcrafted pieces
✓ Vibrant contemporary artworks
✓ Fresh new collection launches
✓ Black Friday exclusive deals

And if you can't make it to East Block? Shop online now—explore our full collection, new arrivals, and handicrafts 🛍️

All items available online: Link in bio

See you November 30th 🙌 East Block Bazaar | Noon-4pm

Pay in 3 interest-free with PayPal 💳

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22/11/2025

Get ready to feel the ENERGY 🔥

Meet Samreel—one of the most exciting voices bringing Chromatic Dialogues to life on December 14th. This UK Afrobeats artist is more than just beats and bars. He's a compelling storyteller who channels the raw truth of life into high-energy anthems that make you move and make you feel.

You'll find Samreel on stages across the UK—and everywhere he performs, something magical happens. His dynamic energy and songwriting sincerity create moments people don't forget. But what really sets him apart? Every groove, every lyric is deeply rooted in his personal journey.

His latest track, "No Bad Energy," is a perfect example. Created in the wake of losing his father, it's raw, it's powerful, and it proves that the most moving music comes from the most real places. This is a man who transforms pain into art that uplifts.

At Chromatic Dialogues, you'll experience Samreel live and unfiltered—performing alongside visual artists and poets in a night designed to move your body, touch your soul, and remind you why art matters.

"If you want music that makes you feel deeply while forcing you to dance, Samreel is the sound you need to know."

December 14 | 6:30 PM | Banana Block, Belfast | FREE ENTRY 🎤✨

Swipe through to get a taste of what's coming. Then come experience it live.

BelfastEvents December14

18/11/2025

Meet Marty McKenna—one of the brilliant poets bringing Chromatic Dialogues to life on December 14th. 🎤✨

An independent Irish poet born in Tyrone, Marty now calls Belfast home, where he's quietly reshaping the poetry community. His work has been widely published across print and online journals. He won the prestigious Matrix Prize in 2017 and has published three chapbooks. His first full collection, 'letters home', is coming soon—and we can't wait to experience his voice at our event.

What makes Marty special? He curates the poetry community 'button press', which publishes, analyses, and hosts public readings for emerging and established poets. He's a neurodivergent poet creating space for voices that deserve to be heard.

At Chromatic Dialogues, you'll experience something rare: poets interpreting and honoring the artists they love. Marty will be reading poetry inspired by the stunning visual artwork on display, creating a conversation between word and image that you won't forget.

This is poetry with purpose. This is art that speaks to the soul. 🌟

Join us December 14 at 6:30 PM | Banana Block, Belfast | FREE ENTRY

See you there? 🎨🎵📖

17/11/2025

Get tickets for the event on Eventbrite

Get ready for a colorful mix of music, poetry and art from around the world at Chromatic Dialogues - it's gonna be lit!

15/11/2025

Step into the quiet moments Joel Simon captures on canvas. A woman waiting at a rain-soaked platform. A cinema screen's amber glow reflecting off wet pavements. A small shop glowing with secrets at midnight.

Narrative Realist painter
A storyteller from a young age, Joel Simon uses his brush to compose urban environments, enigmatic characters, and emotionally driven scenes in a style often described as Narrative Realism.

In his work, the architecture of the modern metropolis takes a leading role alongside the human figure. There is a visceral energy of the streets and a certain voyeuristic apprehension as the indoors and outdoors meld together.

Exploring the symbiosis between public spaces and private life, Simon invites us to look in on the beauty and poetry of those personal moments which are often overshadowed by the cacophony of modern life.

Simon's formation as a filmmaker has played a significant influence on his painting practice. His work exudes an atmosphere of Film Noir, rich with contrasting hues, dramatic lighting, and an ethereal quality that reveals the quiet poetry of urban existence.​ ​This juxtaposition of period references and contemporary settings imbues Joel Simon's work with a timeless essence.

This December 14th at Chromatic Dialogues, experience the full emotional landscape of Joel's narrative realist work alongside the voices of Irish and Nigerian poets and the live melodies of musicians from across cultures. Step into the stories. Feel the light. Witness the poetry in paint.

🎨 Free Entry | Contributions Welcome
📍 Banana Block, Belfast | 6:30 PM
🔗 Link in bio

14/11/2025

Are you ready for something extraordinary? ✨

This December, we're curating an unforgettable experience—a vibrant convergence of visual art, poetry, and live music under one roof. Think of it as a love letter to creativity itself.

We're talking stunning visual installations, verses that make your heart skip a beat, and melodies that will stay with you long after the night ends. A true feast for the senses 🎨🎵

The best part? You're invited to experience it at Banana Block in East Belfast—a stunning cultural space that's become the heartbeat of our creative community.

December 14 - 6:30 PM - FREE ENTRY 🥳

Mark your calendars now—this is the kind of year-ending celebration you won't want to miss. Full lineup reveal coming soon (trust us, you're going to love who's involved 👀)

07/11/2025

What if art could be a revolution? 🌍
Discover the Negritude movement—a wave born in the heart of Paris by African and Caribbean minds determined to turn the pain of colonization into pride and artistic power.

In the 1930s, writers like Léopold Sédar Senghor, Aimé Césaire, and Léon Damas imagined a world where black identity was celebrated, not denied. Their vision? A movement that would inspire generations of artists to boldly claim their heritage, blending African tradition with contemporary innovation.

Through words, paintings, and sculpture, Negritude transformed protest into creative expression. Nigerian legend Ben Enwonwu captured this spirit—his vibrant figures and dynamic colors still shape Nigerian and global art today.

The legacy lives on in Kojo Art X’s gallery walls, connecting historical roots to artists like Sola Otori and Damola Adepoju—proving that art’s power to unite, uplift, and challenge is as vital now as it was then.

Ready to spark your own journey? Tap the link in our bio to explore, collect, and connect.