Caelan Okyere

Caelan Okyere is a London-based artist/illustrator and visual storyteller whose work explores identity, spirituality, and cultural memory through an Afro-queer lens. Drawing from their Ghanaian heritage, their practice is rooted in themes of reclamation, ancestral knowledge, and the celebration of Black and queer narratives.

Through their work, Okyere aims to celebrate Black and African culture, spotlighting underrepresented identities under a positive light. Their Final Major Project, “The Sankofa Tarot”, is a reimagining of the Major Arcana, a deeply personal Afro-queer deck reclaiming what was lost through colonisation and celebrating what still lives within us. Okyere's project blends traditional tarot archetypes with West African symbolism, Adinkra symbols and personal storytelling to reflect on identity and ancestral connection. The deck not only honours the past but reclaims it, centering Black and queer voices that are often excluded from mystical or historical narratives.

Specialising primarily in digital illustration, Okyere's background also includes traditional painting in acrylic and oils, which informs their use of texture, colour and depth. Their work bridges the personal and political, using visual storytelling as a tool for empowerment, remembrance, representation and spiritual reflection.

This double-page spread is a visual retelling of the story of Anansi the Spider God, a well known figure in West African and Caribbean folklore, often portrayed as a clever trickster and storyteller. The piece was designed as part of a feature in the Rave Frame publication, under the theme of Myths & Legends.

This editorial illustration was created for an article titles “Do You Tell Yourself You’re Happier Than You Are? Stop The Gaslighting.” The piece depicts a character confined within a small, enclosed space, symbolising the subconscious retreat one makes when convincing themselves they are fine while internally struggling. It explores themes of emotional denial, self-deception, internal isolation and shadow work.

This is an album cover illustration based on the song “Dog Daze” by Cruza, which visually portrays the desire to escape an environment that you’ve outgrown or where there’s no longer room for growth, which Okyere personally relates to in terms of being queer within an African household where self-expression is limited.

This is The Devil card from Okyere's 22 card tarot deck, “The Sankofa Tarot”. In this reinterpretation, the figure is inspired by demonised African spiritual figures, challenging the way queerness, self-expression and nonconformity are often viewed as taboo.

This is The Star card from Okyere's 22 card tarot deck, “The Sankofa Tarot”. It symbolises healing, guidance, and renewal, reimagined through a lens of Afro-queer resilience and spiritual grounding.