Amoako Boafo

@amoakoboafo the Ghanaian artist has been honing his skills from Ghana through to Vienna and has become a driving force in the young art world.⁠⠀
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Boafo has developed a distinct style, using his fingertips to paint portraits of black men and women who, he says 'I find strength in—how they celebrate [and] live their blackness'.⁠⠀
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Boafo celebrates individuals of the African diaspora whom he admires. Ranging from friends to strangers, Boafo’s subjects occupy the elevated space of Viennese portraiture, drawing on Gustav Klimt’s commanding scale and Egon Schiele’s dynamic brushwork.⁠⠀
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“I normally paint characters that inspire me,” noting that he portrays people who have a voice—people who lift up others—as well those who are voiceless. A frequent subject in “Black Diaspora” is Thelma Golden, director and chief curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem, who has spent decades advocating for Black artists. Boafo’s paintings engage in similar work, creating material space for others through portraiture and expanding the artistic possibilities of portraying Black experiences.⁠⠀
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We love his work and if you want to know more you should check out the recent @talkart podcast in which they interview Boafo about his work life and inspiration. Well worth a listen!⁠⠀
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Let us know what you think of his work in the comments below.⁠