Umulkheir Abdi

Umulkheir Abdi is a Vancouver-based freelance artist of Somali-Kenyan heritage with an international practice spanning three continents. She is a self-taught illustrator working with both digital and traditional paper media. Holding a BA in Art History with minors in Curatorial Studies and African Studies from the University of Toronto, her practice is grounded in both critical research and visual storytelling. Her work centres underrepresented communities, particularly Black and Muslim identities, addressing their historical absence in traditional art spaces. Through intimate, tonal portraiture, she explores everyday expressions of dignity and presence, while engaging questions of visibility, authorship, and the politics of representation. Informed by her African and Islamic heritage, her practice reflects an ongoing interest in diasporic identity and the construction of cultural narratives.