BTWN HUMANS: Where Art Meets Fashion
Her motivation to launch the platform stems from living in different parts of the world.
BTWN HUMANS logo via Instagram
With the help of being a nomad, Massimbi Ericka Kabera easily adapted to various cultures through various mediums. Born in Belgium, raised in Rwanda, and now based in New York, she discovered that art, regardless of the medium, was her calling at 15. Kabera has always been surrounded by art and artists and knew something in the field was her destiny. Now 23, Kabera can express her love for fashion and the arts with her creation, BTWN HUMANS, an intersectional platform to represent art and fashion to connect people worldwide.
Her journey began in fashion as a designer and curator as a teenager. She soon became intrigued by the business side of fashion, leading to the study of fashion and art education in high school and college. A few years ago, she also began painting, helping her find herself through the canvas.
“I also see my curatorial practice with BTWN HUMANS as an art form in itself,” Kabera says. “I believe that each phase of our journey serves a purpose, and in this current stage, my art practice extends to creating innovative and equitable spaces for fellow artists— which is what I am doing with BTWN HUMANS.”
Because Kabera grew up in different regions, she created worlds that coexisted seamlessly. This couldn’t be done independently; she had to thread the seams herself. So far, she’s incorporated artists from five continents on BTWN HUMANS early into the launch, a milestone for any platform.
“I love that, as artists, we have the ability to envision new worlds, and I wanted to manifest a space that fosters exploration and collaboration while remaining accessible,” Kabera says. “Regardless of one's geographic location, my aim was to provide a platform for individuals to collect pieces from artists and designers they resonate with and admire. While it may be relatively easier to integrate into creative hubs in New York, Paris, Lagos, Los Angeles, etc. How does someone not residing in these epicenters engage with and collect pieces from emerging global creators?”
Although BTWN HUMANS is a digital platform, Kabera ultimately wants the innovative space to become a physical manifestation for artists and designers to unite, share each other’s work, and, from there, make connections and collaborate. As a consumer and artist herself, Kabera wanted to pay homage to anyone who loves and creates art, which is where the name BTWN HUMANS stems from.
“I want it to be fun, approachable, and an inspiring experience,” she says. “Despite the misconception that art collection is reserved for a specific group, I believe this narrative is inaccurate and want BTWN HUMANS to play a role in changing that perception. Making art collection accessible translates to making the collection of culture more accessible. With the fashion space, my goal is for individuals to approach collecting pieces with the same intentionality and mindfulness as they would with art. A significant majority of our designers operate as artisans, reinforcing our platform's commitment to craftsmanship and artistic expression. The aim is for consumers and collectors to be cognizant and appreciative of this aspect as well.”
Kabera gets her inspiration from many different artists and designers, many of whom are women. Her favorites include Rei Kawakubo, Martine Rose, Wales Bonner, Beth Birkett Gibbs, Charisse Pearlina Weston, and Sam Gilliam. While she wants to work with more women artists and designers, she hopes to conceptualize a project with Botter and another artist to highlight art-forward sustainability.
I am looking forward to our global activations, starting with the first one in the spring,” Kabera says. “While having an accessible digital space is crucial, I also believe bringing people together in real life is special and irreplicable. The prospect of opening BTWN HUMANS' first physical space is something I am really excited about.”
You can shop and support BTWN HUMANS at btwnhumans.com.
