Growing up in Brooklyn, Akintola Hanif was no stranger to the fine arts scene. As a child, he and his father often frequented places like the National Black Theater and the legendary Studio Museum in Harlem, introducing him to some of the most prominent artists of the time.

Akintola was introduced to the graffiti and pop art movement, which dominated New York City’s gallery scene, at a young age. By his early teens, HYZE (an alias he was given at 19) had learned the art of airbrushing and spray painting and began painting murals on the walls and storefronts of New York City under the tag Dest (AOK,CWK). One of his murals is immortalized in Henry Chalfant’s 1985 book “Spraycan Art”.

Hyze started documenting the lives of the people of the Arcadian Gardens in 2000. It is an ongoing project that has also begun to take shape as a feature-length documentary film entitled The Bity.

Akintola’s first film, Freedom or Everybody Dies, a 5-minute mixed media short, has been showcased in the kick-off for the Museum of African American Music and the Black Harvest International Film Festival. His work has also been featured in shows at the Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery, Iandor Fine Arts Gallery, the Annual Lesbian Erotic Arts Fair at New York’s The Center, the H2O [Hip-Hop Odyssey] Film Festival and as part of the 3rd Wave group show sponsored by the Brooklyn Arts Council.

Currently, Akintola works as the resident documentarian at New Jersey’s YouthBuild Newark program and has recently created several short films denouncing drug use and gang activity amongst young people for the Central Ward Boys and Girls Club and the Clinton Hill Weed and Seed Partnership.

Akintola Hanif is available for video and still photography projects.

Press

• “Urban Focas“, Village Voice, April 20, 2007.
• “Black Dice“, Head Magazine, July 2006. (*Contains explicit content.)
• “Questions. Answers.” Nat Creole, March 2006.

Abbreviated Portfolio

Website

www.akintolahanif.com