Noelle Africh

Noelle Africh (b. 1992) is a Chicago-based painter and part-time lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). They hold an MFA from SAIC and a BS in Mathematics and Actuarial Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Their work explores materiality through distemper on linen/panel, with exhibitions internationally including Galerie Gisela Clement (Germany), Hyde Park Art Center, and solo shows like 'Superstition' (2024). Africh has curated exhibitions ('From the Center', 2022) and received teaching fellowships/scholarships.

Research Interests: Their practice investigates the intersection of traditional techniques (distemper, graphite) with contemporary themes. Focus areas include texture experimentation, narrative abstraction, and the phenomenological impact of scale in visual perception.

Awards:

• SAIC Teaching Fellowship (Painting and Drawing, 2022)
• Muriel Stieglitz Memorial Scholarship (2022)
• Dean’s Scholarship (2020)