Owusu Ankomah's guest appearances

Owusu Ankomah

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Marc Jacobs

David Smith

Yanis Varoufakis

Louisa Buck

Michael Craig-Martin

David Shrigley

Richard Hamilton

Agnes Martin

Henri Matisse

Ian McEwan

Francesca Martinez

Michael Palin

Michael Bracewell

Andrew Hunter

William Blake

OwlTail

Owusu-Ankomah discusses his work and contemporary African art with Chris Spring (curator, Sainsbury African Galleries, British Museum).
Owusu-Ankomah was born in Sekondi, Ghana, in 1956, a year before independence from British colonial rule. He studied at Ghanatta College of Art, in Accra, before moving in 1986 to Bremen, Germany, where he now lives and works. His paintings depict a spiritual world of forms, without light or shadow, occupied by figures and symbols. The way in which these figures interact with the surrounding symbols in his paintings has moved through several distinct phases that reflect the artist’s own spiritual journey. His early work drew heavily on the ancient traditions of masquerade and African rock painting; then his figures shed their masks and body paintings to become boldly visible actors swimming in an ocean of signs.

Owusu-Ankomah discusses his work and contemporary African art with Chris Spring (curator, Sainsbury African Galleries, British Museum).<br>Owusu-Ankomah was born in Sekondi, Ghana, in 1956, a year before independence from British colonial rule. He studied at Ghanatta College of Art, in Accra, before moving in 1986 to Bremen, Germany, where he now lives and works. His paintings depict a spiritual world of forms, without light or shadow, occupied by figures and symbols. The way in which these figures interact with the surrounding symbols in his paintings has moved through several distinct phases that reflect the artist’s own spiritual journey. His early work drew heavily on the ancient traditions of masquerade and African rock painting; then his figures shed their masks and body paintings to become boldly visible actors swimming in an ocean of signs.

CAS Events: Owusu Ankomah In Conversation (22 Sep 2014)

Owusu Ankomah’s canvases employ geographically and historically diverse visual references, from Saharan rock painting and Italian Renaissance sculpture, to Ghanaian textile designs, Chinese calligraphy, New York graffiti and capoeira martial arts from Bra