In Search of Blue
CURATED BY Lafa
The last decade and a half has seen contemporary African Art make a tremendous impact on the international art scene – shows at leading galleries and blue chip auction houses. In a few cases the value of work by artists from Africa has reached levels that would have been unthinkable prior to this epoch. But unfortunately, even though there has been a significant increase in local galleries in Ghana, the ecosystem still remains largely under developed. In this context the work of LAFA provides a bright spark.
As a follow-up to an earlier exhibition of female artists, this exhibition, IN SEARCH OF BLUE features paintings by four emerging male artists. Collectively the four artists provide a gorgeous splendour of work; an animated colorful, patterned commentary on contemporary issues that are fraught with an unavoidably dimmest possible view of the human character. Whether it is by unmitigated armed violence or plain illegality perpetuated by crass impunity, ecocide and genocide are streamed live onto our smart phones and TVs on the daily basis. We are all familiar with the bombed out cities and their numerous maimed orphaned children from beyond our national borders; ditto for the dark brown rivers and lunar like landscapes of our own motherland.
Hence we can understand DRIATEHE aka Pitcho when he asks, “Where are you going?” with a canvas populated with ethereal figures in pastel colors. Or when OSEIGYE states, “Peace and Love in my dreadlocks”. Or the fragmented and contorted faces of KUMI and OFOSU in their paintings, “Faces of War” and “Watching Israel Killing Children” respectively.
The words of Robert Frost appear to ring true everyday:
