Akeelah Johnson-Smith is an artist who is based in Smethwick who is currently studying and working in Birmingham. Her practice for this year has been based on the observational nature of cats and how their stare can sometimes make people feel uncomfortable. She uses a range of materials in her work from drawing to working in 3D, although her preferred material is oil paints.  

After reading ‘The Cat In Art’ by Stefano Zuffi, she took an interest in how society’s views on cats has shifted throughout history, how their symbolic meaning has changed and the different ways they have been used in art. This inspired her to take some views from Ancient Egypt, an era when cats were worshipped and thought of as a creature that was above humans, she wants her work to give a feeling that the cat is looking down on the viewer and observing their every move.