Solomon Adufah
Region: Midwest
I was born and raised in Ghana, in West Africa, but currently reside
in the United States. In my practice, I aim to create genuine and
authentic portraits of people who make up the beautiful continent
of Africa. The paintings expose viewers to a global perspective
rather than a narrative meant to portray a single viewpoint. My
work reflects the diversity and richness lost in the deceptive
mainstream representations of the African people and explores
a self-referential perspective on the Black image. I develop this
group of portraits through a vital practice that requires physical
engagement with the community and the desire to travel.
My work allows for dialogues between America and Africa to
emerge, reaching beyond cultural orthodoxy and reversing the
traditions of Western globalization. I weave mixed media into the
fabricated aesthetics of the portrait. I use a layering technique to
combine African motifs in silkscreen and fabric. These materials
become an anchored pillar that transcends the work through
the everyday African cultural narrative.