Above: Kwesi Botchway | LESBIAN SHOW, 2021 | acrylic and oil on canvas | Diptych : 200 x 600 cm each panel : 200 x 300 cm
On a recent Saturday afternoon, we spoke with Ghanaian artist Kwesi Botchway, a leader in Black portrait and figurative art and founder of Worldfaze Studio to learn about the color theories behind his paintings, hear his point of view on the current political climate, and discover the projects he dedicates his life to making the art world a better place.
In an ever-changing time where radicals are creating division and polarizing the minds of our societies, key figures are working restlessly to change the narrative. African art, which, for centuries, was treated as inferior to the Western world’s art, is slowly finding center stage.
This not only changes the face of Black immigrants across the globe but also proves that brilliant art takes shape in every corner of our sphere—particularly in Ghana, a sovereign nation with devoted members of the Pan-Africanism movement since their first prime minister, Kwame Nkrumah, in 1957. One could say his spirit is kept alive in none other than the creative discipline of contemporary art, which has forged a lasting impression in the heart of the art community.
Whether we’re referring to Amoako Boafo, Prince Gyasi or Ibrahim Mahama, Ghanian artists’ impact within the art space is boundless, ensuring that the next generation of Black contemporary artists within and outside the continent prosper as a result of paving the path toward international success.
LS: What was it like growing up in Ghana?
KB: Growing up in Ghana was interesting and also inspiring. I grew up in Nima, which is more like a slum, and there are a lot of creative opportunities around which inspired my artistic journey.
LS: Out of curiosity, when did you first pick up a paintbrush?
KB: I remember it was around when I was five years old, I used to love going to the library. You know, drawing using color pencils and crayons. I loved playing with colors!
LS: Speaking of which, purple is one of the rarest colors in nature. Throughout history, it was closely associated with royalty. And now it’s the color you sit with to immortalize your subjects. What does purple symbolize to you?
KB: For me, purple is a great color, and the color black as well. Putting them together for me is very spiritual, because when you look at my work, this is me attempting to elevate the Black body. I’m trying to elevate Blackness, and purple is also a royal color. I’ve done so much research on purple, looking at its history and where it comes from. How did it even come into existence? I’m like, this is something I really want to work with. I mean, purple has been worn by royals, people with high authority, and so on. Me wanting to elevate the Black body, I wanted to attach some sort of royalty and authority onto that vibe. That is where my interest started for purple, because of what it stands for and how it was used in the past. I really love the journey of the color itself.
LS: In the current state of the world, acceptance of migrants is constantly being combated, in contrast to Black portrayal within art only going up in price and prestige. What do you make of this phenomenon?
KB: When we talk about immigrants in the Western world being combated, for instance within my work, I try to project the oneness of the African diaspora and the Black Americans as well because I feel like we all came from the same place. Whether one lives in Europe, America or Ghana, even in Africa, I believe if Black people cherish Africa a lot, they won’t be worried about staying in Africa or coming back home regardless, we just have to make Africa a better place for us all because that’s the only place Black people can operate and be ourselves fully.
With the Western world, I believe they also have their ways of shaping their own community. Take a look at Donald Trump, deporting immigrants. It’s sad, but we can’t control it, because we can’t encourage Africans to live in America or anywhere in the world illegally. Africa is a home, and it’s not a place to run from. And also, with African art gaining high demand and prestige I believe it’s about the evolution of African artists in the global art world, and this has been encouraging not just to me but to most contemporary African artists.
LS: There seems to be a mixture of feelings from the general public concerning visual artists of color portraying Black figures in terms of, are we boxed in, in our way of creative expression? And is this why we don’t see as many Black artists in surrealism or other art forms? On the other hand, if we go back to medieval times, the first paintings of Black nobles were realized by white European artists, and we’ve seen the results of that … So why do you believe it is important to preserve Black representation in art through the eyes of our own members?
KB: Well, I believe the art world is a free world where every artist is allowed to express themselves through any art form. It’s just that Black figuration and portraiture have gained much attention, which could be a box-in for some artists because of the switch, but this switch does not affect real artists who are called to work with certain art forms. Black representation is very important. Due to our past with slavery, our people have been through an inferiority complex, so depiction of ourselves and our lifestyle is a true way of uplifting and connecting to ourselves.
LS: Yes, that is very accurate. Aside from your creative endeavors, you’re also the founder of Worldfaze Studio, an atelier that offers workshops for students, exhibitions, artist residencies and more. How did it come to be?
KB:Growing up as an artist in Ghana was really tough. I remember even finding a space to activate my work was really hard. After being a successful artist now though, I have a lot ahead of me; creating space for young artists to express their creative selves—their inner feelings and aspirations—has been a necessity in this space. The main goal of my space is to gather native artists and build them to understand the art world, who they are and also, understand what they are doing, which I find to be very important.
LS: Now the following question, come to think of it, is kind of an ego boost [laugh]. For the last decade or so, whether in photography or painting, it seems like Ghana has been at the forefront in representing the African continent to the rest of the world. Its dominance in contemporary African art is prominent wherever you go. Would you agree with this statement? And how can it be best explained?
KB: You know, Ghana has been on the scene for a very long time. We have creative artists like Ablade Glover, Wiz Kudowor, Kofi Agorsor, Lantei Mills, El Anatsui, Larry Otoo, etc. These are great artists who had great exposure in the international art world, but I don’t think there was a huge visibility for Ghanaian artists until now.
For example, Serge Attukwei, Amoako Boafo, Ibrahim Mahama, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, myself, etc. having a massive breakthrough in the art world had a lot of impact on the Ghanaian scene, with great artists coming out of Ghana, but Ghanaian artists have always been in existence. It’s just that we have a very active yet a very young art industry, and now it’s picking up. Everything is unfolding and getting better. I would say it’s just about timing because time unfolds great times when it’s time for things to mature and get on the scene. It happens naturally.
LS: In our current year of 2025, does the Black artist still face discrimination in the art industry? If so, what should be done to resolve this problem?
KB: There will always be some sort of discrimination. For instance, in Africa, we don’t have good institutions to archive our own artists. The whole continent will rely on the Western market, and as a result, there will be some challenges and discrimination as well. We are hoping that things will get better in Africa, especially in Ghana.
To this day, Ghana doesn’t have a very good contemporary art museum and public art institution. You should know that even though there are artists who are successful, the industry here is not as organized as we think it is. Now artists have started to create spaces, and that alone will begin to spread awareness to the government officials to know, like, okay, even artists are creating spaces, and so, we can also do something. Art is just like music and football. Every creative sector needs support to build its own industry. I feel it is only the government that can hold this to a higher extent, because a private organization might not be able to put it all the way through.
LS: Hopefully, change will come in the near future. When can we expect a new exhibition or project from Kwesi Botchway?
I have a project with Gallery1957 in London which is going to open on the 13th of March. And then I am working towards another project with Susanne Vielmetter in Los Angeles.
Kwesi Botchway’s dedication to elevating Black representation in art, both through his own vibrant portraits and his work with Worldfaze Studio, illuminates a path forward for Ghanian contemporary art. His emphasis on portraying the fullness of the Black experience, from joy to resilience, challenges historical narratives and fosters a sense of collective empowerment. While he acknowledges the ongoing challenges for Black artists within the art industry, Botchway’s vision, coupled with the rising prominence of Ghanaian artists, signals a powerful shift in representation, artistic agency and equity within the art world.
