Sekyiamah's working practice focuses on the role of women, from the perspective of a young woman living within a West African Society and of the domestic life in which she grew up in, she considers her work to be feminist in its outlook. Her paintings incorporate abstract markings, African textile design motifs, combined with depictions of black women, for example a figure in a bikini or a silhouetted nude form, this challenging the status quo of a male dominated patriarchy.
Adrian Sutton is delighted to present Obaa Alovera (2022), a new painting by Elizabeth Sekyiamah (b.2002), an emerging abstract-figurative Ghanaian artist.
Sekyiamah's working practice focuses on the role of women, from the perspective of a young woman living within a West African Society and of the domestic life in which she grew up in, she considers her work to be feminist in its outlook. Her paintings incorporate abstract markings, African textile design motifs, combined with depictions of black women, for example a figure in a bikini or a silhouetted nude form, this challenging the status quo of a male dominated patriarchy.
The ritual of daily life is central to Elizabeth's work, whether it be a depiction of a conversation between women, the shared bond shown via a certain distinct pose, every gesture, shape or marking emphasising the repetitiveness of Sekyiamah's role within her daily life as a daughter, sister, relative or friend. Her practice engages her keen observation of her mother, a seamstress, and their shared interactions with each other, using her paintbrush to give life to the subtle yet very powerful depictions of domestic activities.
Colour plays an important part of her working practice, it provides the foundation reflecting her unique visual language, a form of abstract expressionism. The use of different colours reflects her mood, the viewer however is also affected, whether it be vibrancy of a shimmering rich emerald green or a rich ochre dusty yellow. As with this painting, the title suggests that her immediate surroundings have influenced the colour choice, the distinctive richness of the Ghanaian vegetation, of the soil, the land itself.
Sekyiamah is a recipient of the new inaugural Judith Ellen Prize (2022), an annual prize dedicated to supporting emerging women artists within Africa and the diaspora, this also preceded her recent solo exhibition at the Nubuke Foundation in Accra, Ghana. As one of the few emerging abstract-figurative woman artists in Ghana and the continent, Elizabeth acts as a beacon of hope, pushing through and creating. Her existence is the biggest form of rebellion in its entirety.
Obaa Alovera, 2022
Acrylic, chalk on canvas
200 x 150 cm