We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joshua Igwe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joshua, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Although today I live a fast-paced life in downtown Toronto, just six years ago my world revolved around the populated city of Lagos, Nigeria. Both my parents were entrepreneurs and as a result, I spent a lot of time working in both their companies outside of school and during holidays which I dreaded at the time. Other than work and school I spent a lot of time with my younger brother drawing comics and building clay sculptures which were my earliest forms of artistic expression. In my elementary school years I was known for drawing comic books and participating in art events, however, come Highschool I switched to playing the saxophone in the school band in hopes of reinventing myself and doing something ‘cooler’. My musical journey is what led me to pursue a creative career and after high school, I attended Trinity College in Ontario after a watching convincing advert for the school. Moving to Canada was a bold move at the time because it wasn’t a common destination for Nigerian high school graduates but that didn’t stop me from following my curiosity. After Trinity, I went to Ryerson University to study Economics but quickly abandoned the degree after realizing I had no passion for it. Luckily I discovered OCAD University on a bike ride around the city and quickly applied for their Digital Futures program since I already had skills in digital design, this would be my perfect answer to a career in the creative industry.

Joshua, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

About Me?
I AM CURIOUS: Ever since I was a young child I’ve been plagued by the desire to understand the world around me. I’ve always felt like a kind of cosmic astronaut exploring the universe and through art/design I can channel my findings for the rest of the world. I constantly read about old and current scientific discoveries, of which some of my mentors are scientists and engineers. I keep up with technological innovations from the past and present, I always find it exciting when someone or a group of people think in a new way that produces something brilliant. Finally, I examine the world through a spiritual (metaphysical) lens. Through this, I believe I can find the answers to the questions the curious child in me had.
I AM DRIVEN: This is a trait I am lucky and blessed to have which I once saw as a burden. My mind is constantly searching for problems in the world to fix. Every day I wake up by 8 am to start my day. I believe to have a life worth living we must have a goal and for me, there is no goal that is too ambitious to achieve. This motivates me to attempt new creative endeavors.

How did I get into my industry?
I got into my industry by experimenting with digital design tools in high school and later enrolled in a ‘Digital Futures’ program at university. Upon graduation, I exhibited my thesis project ‘Black Future’ which imagined a futuristic African world. The aim of the project was to celebrate young black (living) pioneers who were paving the way for a brighter future. The success of the project won me a Dorothy Hoover award and an internship at Havas Health, where I designed Metaverse experiences in the health and wellness industry.

What type of services/creative works do I provide?
As a Creative technologist, I have skills as both a creative thinker and a technical developer. I provide services that encompass logo design, website/app (frontend) design, branding, metaverse experience design, digital strategy, concept ideation, music production, and other miscellaneous forms of design and development. I am driven by the passion to provide innovative solutions for businesses and world problems using digital tools. As a result, I am constantly curious about the world, traveling to new places, reading new books, experimenting with new tools, playing new video games, and immersing myself in new experiences in order to remain inspired.

Most Proud about?
My most recent endeavor is HIVEMIND.to. A multi-disciplinary collective platform exploring creativity at the intersection of arts, technology, and society. The whole aim of the collective is to create a platform for creatives like myself and creatives in all other fields to create projects, explore ideas and sustain ourselves monetarily. Our first art exhibit was a huge success that featured painters, musicians, digital designers, florists, sculptures, etc from all backgrounds, ages, and education. Through the project, we were able to secure funding from other organizations, sell art, and recruit members.

My Brand?
I am most passionate about social equity and nature. I believe that as we advance our society we must design adequate structures that provide fairness and justice to all in order to minimize social imbalances. I aspire to be a part of such architecture in the future as I develop and learn. I believe that if we perceived the world from a holistic point of view that took into account every living being we would make better decisions that benefited others and not just ourselves. Which is a point of contention for me in the modern world. A lot of the degradation we find in society is a result of the large disparities between the lower and upper classes. Through technology, we have an opportunity to reduce the gap in terms of education, health, accessibility, and leisure.
I am also conscious of our climate and am interested in ways that our technology can co-exist with the natural world in order for us to live in harmony and practice sustainable methods that would ensure the lifespan of our creations to future generations.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The first book I read was Tony Robbins Unlimited Power, this set me up to cultivate an abundance mindset and confidence that I could do anything.

Florence Scovel Shinn’s book the Game of Life and how to play it was an amazing and timeless metaphysical study on how to live a good life. It encouraged me to dream and showed me how to realize my dreams with a positive mindset.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** by Mark Manson Combined with The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene help unmask the illusion of human psychology and revealed great insights into how people think, and how to deal with them.

How to Think Like Leonardo Divinci by Micheal Gelb taught me the values of discipline and daily practices Leonardo himself practiced to cultivate his genius.

Finally, the Steve Jobs biography talks about the life and achievements of Steve Jobs inspired me to live a life dedicated to innovation. It also showed the ups/ downs and shortcomings a human being could have because no one is perfect.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am most passionate about social equity and nature. I believe that as we advance our society we must design adequate structures that provide fairness and justice to all in order to minimize social imbalances. I aspire to be a part of such architecture in the future as I develop and learn. I believe that if we perceived the world from a holistic point of view that took into account every living being we would make better decisions that benefited others and not just ourselves. Which is a point of contention for me in the modern world. A lot of the degradation we find in society is a result of the large disparities between the lower and upper classes. Through technology, we have an opportunity to reduce the gap in terms of education, health, accessibility, and leisure. I am also conscious of our climate and am interested in ways that our technology can co-exist with the natural world in order for us to live in harmony and practice sustainable methods that would ensure the lifespan of our creations to future generations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joshigwe.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_joshigwe/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-igwe/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHuYHUxPiliD36v6MmzI7cw/about