ART CITIES: London-Amoako Boafo
Amoako Boafo reimagines the canon of portraiture, emerging as a key artist in defining the contemporary culture of Africa and the African diaspora. His elegant paintings elevate his subjects, capturing their confidence, style, and character. To depict the figures in his portraits, Boafo manipulates pigment with his fingers rather than with a brush, tracing gestures through direct touch.
By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Gagosian Archive
Titled after Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s 2009 novel the exhibition “I Do Not Come to You by Chance”, marks Amoako Boafo’s first solo presentation in the United Kingdom. The exhibition incorporates new paintings into a transformative and involving design conceived by the artist in collaboration with architect and designer Glenn DeRoche of DeRoche Projects (who previously worked with Boafo on dot.ateliers | Ogbojo, the writers’ and curators’ residency program he established in Ogbojo, Ghana, in 2024) and extends his exploration of space and community. Boafo’s portraits celebrate the Black figure in a spirit of authenticity and joy, countering the flawed narrative of stereotypes through images that elevate their subjects. Focused on Black identity, his paintings prompt a reexamination of the Western understanding of contemporary Africa and the African diaspora, exploring intimacy, community, and self-determination. Boafo paints the faces and bodies of his subjects with his fingertips, the directness of his touch enhancing their expressive qualities and allowing them to return the viewer’s gaze with charismatic presence. His self-portraits confront the observer with expressions of vulnerability and creativity that challenge traditional narratives of masculinity. “I Do Not Come to You by Chance” unfolds across the Gagosian gallery’s three rooms. Throughout, Boafo integrates his family’s story and local Ghanaian history, layering and interweaving autobiographical contexts. Visitors first encounter a wallpapered entrance before entering a full-scale re-creation of the courtyard of the artist’s childhood home in Ghana. The final room presents Boafo’s first double-sided freestanding painting. Two life-size female figures are incorporated into a screen within a sculptural wood enclosure, the folding panels reimagining nkyinkyim, an Adinkra” symbol that represents “twisting.” This is not just a frame for the paintings but a tribute to the resilience of Boafo’s Black figures, reflecting the perseverance needed to navigate societal challenges. The courtyard installation transcends the conventional gallery interior and invites visitors to view paintings in a formative personal environment. The architectural intervention pays homage to Boafo’s early artistic experiences of communal spaces as sources of collaborative creativity akin to shared studios, where families observed one another, and local artists such as Aplerh-Doku Borlabi, Kwesi Botchway, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, and Eric Adjei Tawiah often gathered to share materials and inspiration. The courtyard symbolizes a space of knowledge; it was here that Boafo learned what it means to share space, an experience that helped shape the foundation of his practice. Many of the works on view reflect themes of relaxation and play. Among them is one of Boafo’s largest self-portraits to date, “Self-Portrait with Cacti” (2024), it depicts the artist in a moment of tranquility, lounging in bed and surrounded by an assortment of lush plants. Another painting, “Black Cycle” (2025), shows him riding a bike, the fabric of his clothing echoing the exhibition’s wallpapered entrance. The motifs in these paintings continue his exploration of repeated textures and materials.
* Adinkra are symbols from Ghana that represent concepts or aphorisms. Adinkra are used extensively in fabrics, logos and pottery. They are incorporated into walls and other architectural features. Adinkra symbols appear on some traditional Akan goldweights. The symbols are also carved on stools for domestic and ritual use.
Photo: Amoako Boafo, Shoulder Stand, 2023, Oil and paper transfer on canvas, 63 x 71 7/8 inches (160 x 182.4 cm), © Amoako Boafo, Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd, Courtesy Gagosian
Info: Gagosian, 20 Grosvenor Hill, London, United Kingdom, Duration: 10/4-25/5/2025, Days & Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00, https://gagosian.com/
