SOLOMON ADUFAH

“I was born and raised in West Africa, Ghana but currently, reside in the United States. My practice aims to create genuine and authentic portraits of faces that make up the beautiful continent of Africa. I am interested in using my practice to reveal the hidden beauty woven into Africa’s social and geographical fabric. They expose viewers to a global perspective of the world, rather than a singular narrative meant to portray a viewpoint of the masses. My work reflects the diversity and richness lost in the deceptive mainstream representations of the African People and explores a self-referential perspective of the Black image. I develop this group of portraits through a vital practice that requires a physical engagement with the community and the desire to travel.

My work allows dialogues between America and Africa to emerge, reaching beyond the cultural orthodox and reversing the traditions of Western globalization. A uniquely vital aspect of my practice is rooted in travel, emphasizing a necessary demand for cultural exchange. This constant physical engagement is mirrored in my portrait paintings. They not only tell stories of the everyday African narrative but also investigate the social-historical paradigm of globalization as a visual dialogue. I infuse authentic mixed media materials woven into the fabricated esthetics of the portrait. I create a layering technique of combining African motifs through silkscreen and fabric. These materials become an anchored pillar that transcends the work through the everyday African cultural narrative.”