THE BARRAY PRESENTS: DECEMBER 5 2025 — DECEMBER 14 2025 TOMA BOUTIQUE FREETOWN SIGNS AND SYMBOLS “ Signs and symbols rule the world, not words nor laws. ” Profound meaning can be derived from the various signs and symbols that we see around us, that we attach ourselves to or identify with. Signs and symbols can be religious, political, tribal, racial, mystical, esoteric, commercial, numerical, e d- u c a ti o n a l o r a n y t h i n g e l s e i n b e t w e e n A g e s t u r e c a n b e a s i g n a n d a p e r s o n c a n b e a s y m b o l They speak directly to our subconscious; without a whisper, conjuring up myriad emotions, be it love, fear, joy, healing or suspicion. They influence our thoughts, actions, attitudes and behaviors. Like body language, they transcend barriers of language, nationality, culture and religion. Specific signs and symbols can carry a variety of meanings, whose implications or nuances can or have been changed over time. What was once benign may have morphed into something deeply sinister. In this exhibition, we invite you to critically explore these ideas with us and to reflect with us on the stories behind the signs and symbols. THE ARTISTS & THE ART HAWA - JANE BANGURA Hawa - Jane Bangura lives and works in Freetown, Sierra Leone. She studied Art in the UK and USA. She also holds a degree in law and pursued a legal career in New York and in Sierra Leone. In 2013 she set up The Barray, an art collective, which held its first exhibition in 2015. She continues to curate and organize local group exhibitions twice annually. Her work explores the concept of identity: how we, as African Women, depict ourselves and tell our stories in terms of our history, our culture and our place in the world; it also challenges traditional depictions of African women in art. Her work has been exhibited in London, New York, Paris, Dubai and Dakar among other places. It has also been featured on Reuters, BBC, Travel + Leisure and others media spaces. Follow on Instagram: @hawa_jane Beyond the Zodiac (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 29 in x 39 in / 75 cm x 100 cm Life and Wisdom (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 24 in x 36 in / 60 cm x 90 cm The Hair Never Lies VII (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 1 19.5 in x 22 in / 50 cm x 55 cm Status Symbol (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 18 in x 18 in / 46 cm x 46 cm Mami Wata Heads or Tails (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 24 in x 24 in / 60 cm x 60 cm Knowledge of the Self (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 29 in x 39 in / 75 cm x 100 cm Winnie Madikizela - Mandela (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 42 in x 42 in / 107 cm x 107 cm Signs & Symbols (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 48 in x 60 in / 120cm x 150 cm ZAHRA ZATO FAKIH Zato is a Sierra Leonean artist, therapeutic arts coach and storyteller whose work explores the intersection of culture, healing and identity. Rooted deeply in the symbols, colors and wisdom of Sierra Leone, her art reflects a journey of self - connection, emotional restoration and cultural remembrance. Through painting, workshops and her groundbreaking Krio coloring books, she creates spaces where creativity becomes medicine and stories become tools for empowerment, Her work invites viewers to pause, breathe and reconnect with the beauty within themselves and the heritage that shapes us Follow on Instagram: @zato.fakih The Tower (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 39.5 in x 39.5 in / 100 cm x 100 cm A Star is Born (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 39.5 in x 39.5 in / 100 cm x 100 cm The Portal (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 39.5 in x 39.5 in / 100 cm x 100 cm Chemistry (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 3 9.5 in x 39.5 in / 100 cm x 100 cm 369 (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 59 in x 39.5 in / 150 cm x 100 cm Joyful Bubbles (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 12 in x 12 in / 30 cm x 30 cm Joyful Geometry (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 12 in x 12 in / 30 cm x 30 cm Joyful Triangles (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 12 in x 12 in / 30 cm x 30 cm The Messenger I, II & III (2025) Acrylic on Canvas 39.5 in x 39.5 in / 100 cm x 100 cm HICKMATU LEIGH Photography is a universal language that can be understood by people from all walks of life. Photographs can invoke, connect, inspire, and more. They tell us who humanity is and why we all matter to each oth- er. I know I can have a positive impact on identity for Sierra Leonean youth, specifically young Sierra Leone- an women, with my photographs. For me It ’ s not just about the photographs, but also how I feel behind the lens. I see single moments as everlasting when I hold a camera ”. In both my quest to join the Public Health sector, and to become a photographer, my passion is listening to Sierra Leonean women, sharing their stories, and supporting systems that bring their bodies what they need — fundamental human rights. My photo series are almost always of Sierra Leonean women just as they are — multidimensional, polymaths, modern, traditional, soft, powerful, and boundless — forever evolving to supersede local and global stereotypes of “ their limits ”. Follow on Instagram: @hickmatuleigh Let Our Boys Be Boys Again (2025) Digital Photograph 1080 x 1080 px The Fairy (2024) Digital Photograph 1080 x 1080 px The Couple (2024) Digital Photograph, 1080 x 1080 px Liberation (2024) Digital Photograph Beneath her Silence (2023) Digital Photograph ASHLEY TAYLOR Ashley Taylor is a self - taught hyperrealist ballpoint pen artist. He was born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone. His art is rooted in the everyday stories of Sierra Leone: the joy, the struggle, the resilience. He transforms the simplest of tools into portraits of memory, culture, and truth. With patience and focus, he layers stroke upon stroke, no erasing, no shortcuts. Every line is final, every detail a choice. Follow on Instagram: @fred_proart