Meet the Artist: Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim
Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim (b. 1991) is an emerging artist based in Accra, Ghana. His, vibrant, and bold stroke paintings got noticed in the art scene after his 12-month residency program at Noldor Residency in the heart of Accra-Ghana. His practice explores various communication forms and finds ways to highlight the less-acknowledged methods of interacting. Using hand sign language as a starting point, he pushes the boundaries of messages encrypted in challenging and intimate moments of the less privileged in our societies.
Does your background in medicine draw you towards painting the body?
My art is inspired by my own embodied culture clash. Born in Chile to a Cameroonian-Polish father and a German mother, I draw meaning from the amalgamation of these cultures and from a nomadic lifestyle in which my family moved not only house but country every two years. In my work, I question whether we can truly adopt a multitude of identities within ourselves in today’s society.
There is a feeling of reaching out, over and across in your paintings. What do your extended arms symbolise to you? Are they looking for something or someone?
Portraits offer an intimate connection between the subject and the viewer, allowing for a deeper exploration of personalities and stories. My portraits steer away from the conventional and attempt to represent the stark clashes of culture and identity that I have struggled to cope with throughout my life, in the hope that they turn into thought-provoking and unique pieces for the viewer.
What's the art scene like in Ghana?
It’s been enormously exciting and a career highlight to be associated with both 2023’s great talent and the legendary names that have been awarded New Contemporaries in the past. I am fortunate to receive one-on-one mentoring sessions that provide me with the guidance and support I need to advance my career as an artist.
Do you have any projects on the horizon that you'd like to share?
I have several group shows that are coming up in the next few months. Once they’ve been officially announced, I’ll share all the information on my Instagram page.
