Kwesi Botchway Ghana, b. 1994

With his distinct angular brushtrokes, Kwesi Botchway (b. 1994, Accra, Ghana) emphasises black skin with purple hues, a colour linked to royalty, grandeur, mystery, magic, seduction, and wisdom, wherein he highlights the idea of beauty in relation to the Black experience. He positions himself within the Black Art tradition, using his work to address anti-Blackness experienced both in Africa and across the global African diaspora. His art aims to transcend dominant narratives, celebrating the loveliness, vitality, and expansiveness of Blackness. Botchway’s work reinterprets the portrait tradition of western art by centering the long-overlooked Black figure. By blending aspects of European painting styles with African Realism, he transforms the portrait into an exploration of identity and potential. This marks a departure from his earlier, more realist works influenced by Ghanaian street art. His subjects range from people he knows to imagined figures or composites of features observed from his environment, combining realism and abstraction in his selection process.

 

His recent portraits reject performing for the white gaze, presenting figures that embody both the tangible beauty of the Black present and the imaginative possibilities of Black futures. These subjects either engage directly with the viewer or maintain an air of mystery, preserving their inner lives and signaling the richness of Blackness. Faces in Botchway’s portraits reflect a blend of realism and surrealism, with orange-hued eyes and purple skin tones that defy racialized meanings and suggest majesty and otherworldliness. For Botchway, colors are as significant as the figures themselves, each chosen with deliberate intent. Despite their surreal and private nature, Botchway’s works invite dialogue with the audience, drawing viewers into a world where Blackness transcends racist connotations. His art challenges viewers and society to confront and dismantle myths of anti-Blackness, revealing the multifaceted and majestic reality of Black existence. His works are found in collections including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, NY; Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida; and the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, among many others.