Amplifying Black Voices: Oleg Dave

As part of Nasdaq’s ongoing commitment to equality and work to advance inclusive growth and prosperity, we are continuing our digital series, Amplifying Black Voices, a multimedia retrospective featuring works of art and photography documenting Black life. 

We recently spoke with Oleg Dave (He/Him) of Burundi, Bujumbura, a visual artist, about capturing “Intimacy Through an Afrocentric Lens.” 

Please tell us about yourself and how you got started as an artist.

My name is Ntwari Oleg Steve and I am a 22-year-old Burundian artist. I go by the name Oleg Dave, and I primarily utilize pens and pencils to express myself. 

I began drawing at a very young age, when I was around 4 or 5 years old. I used to sketch on the ground and walls with basic tools like charcoal. Drawing was a non-verbal means for me to communicate my thoughts.

I continue to sketch to this day, not only to grow as a person, but also with the hope that one day, my works of art will be considered valuable in the eyes of Burundian society. 

Setbacks, adversity and failures are all great opportunities for me to gather experience, motivation and grit in order to stay afloat on this path toward my long-held goals.

It would be the greatest blessing of my life if I could one day turn my passion for the arts into a career.

As a result, thanks to God, I strive to improve on a regular basis. 

What’s your inspiration for your work?

The inspiration comes from everyday life. Mine and those around me, our shared experiences. The good, the bad, the ups and the downs.

Please tell us why you chose these pieces to display

This art piece represents the experience of many African children. Pain, poverty, and hunger. Many of the innocent are victims of an unjust society we live in. Some are forced into working and recruited as child soldiers. This drawing serves as a plea and call to action to do what we can to save their lives.

This art piece speaks largely to the Black Lives Matter movement. It speaks to black people's oppression and segregation. The scarf depicts the restriction of rights and treatment as second-class citizens. The red color in the background represents the black lives lost in pursuit of justice and the surrounding ring is a halo, hinting that they are in heaven now.

This art piece symbolizes the importance and value of a woman. The crown in her eyes represents femininity in its magnificent forms. Women are strong, bold and optimistic about the world. These traits are shown by her beauty and stoic look. The tattoos are tribal and hint at royalty. The earrings are the borders of Burundi and the Burundian national flag.

Please describe your dream project

I want to make an impact on people's lives through my art. I want people to look at my art and feel inspired. I want to someday own a studio, travel, and collaborate with other artists to expand my knowledge and skill. These are just a few of my future projects.

What is the best way for allies to help amplify Black voices?

For any kind of community, it is inspiring to see a member beating insurmountable odds and rising to an incredible level of success. The success of one motivates the others to put in the effort to become the best versions of themselves. It shows that breaking the glass barrier can be done.

The best way for allies to help amplify Black voices, is to provide a platform, where these outliers can freely and creatively tell their personal stories and how they got to where they are today. These will serve as blueprints others can follow to build their own lives.

Do you have a personal business or organization that people can support?

My current business is printing on textiles. For now, I am printing my art onto t-shirts that I market and sell. I would like to expand my business to print on other garments: trousers, hats, shoes, hoodies and jackets. The sky's the limit. I also sell my art on canvas and the photographs I take.

You can learn more about Oleg on Instagram @olegdave_art and @olegdave4real.