Foster Sakyiamah

There are some artists whose work is instantly recognizable even by the casual observer.  Foster Sakyiamah should be among this category of artists. Once you’ve seen the  bright colors and intricate pattern of swirls that dominate the background of the majority of his art , you know instantly that it was made by him. His work has been described as a “rich and luxurious palette of black and brown flesh tones mingle[d] with a luminous and bright rainbow of background hues”(Institute Museum of Ghana 2020), instantly drawing a viewer’s eye. To have gone from a struggling street artist in Accra, Ghana to an artist in residence at the Institute Museum of Ghana reflects  his immense talent across many mediums and genres. 

‍

Sakyiamah’s version (https://www.okayafrica.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=32334013&width=1332&quality=80) of Johannes Vermeer’s 1665 painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (https://g.co/arts/svBmhV4R2L7zKZeBA) was part of his recent solo exhibition ‘Lines Through Time’ at the ADA\ Contemporary Art Gallery in Accra, Ghana (Awuah-Darko 2022). When reinterpreting this classic Vermeer work, Sakyiamah stays true to his style to create a portrait that is simultaneously familiar and surprising. His decision to feature an African woman as his subject as well as his use of color adds a dimension to the piece that is both alluring and political.  An up-and-coming African artist taking on an Old Dutch Master’s iconic portrait and reimagining it in this way challenges Eurocentric beauty standards and gives the viewer a chance to consider who and what makes great art. 

‍

In the midst of the public debate over decolonizing museum collections, and the fact that the “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is currently on loan to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where virtually none of the works feature any artists or subjects of African descent Sakyiamah is making a statement. 

‍

 Photo: Foster Sakyiamah / ADA \ Contemporary Art Gallery

‍

Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665 Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

‍

Coupled with the recent contest “My Girl with a Pearl Earring,'' (Installation: My Girl with a Pearl | Mauritshuis )held by the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, underscores the fact that even after 400+ years, the painting  “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is still one of the most recognizable images in the world. As part of the contest, nearly 3,500 artists submitted their re-imaginings of the portrait (Enking 2023). While Sakyiamah’s reimagining of the work was not part of this contest, it is a version that is not only instantly recognizable as a companion of the original, but also as a work by Sakiyamah,  which is a difficult and impressive achievement. 

‍

References

Artsy. 2023. “Foster Sakyiamah - 12 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy.” Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/artist/foster-sakyiamah.

Awuah-Darko, Joseph. 2022. “ADA\ Contemporary Art Gallery Presents: Lines Through Time a Solo Exhibition by Foster Sakyiamah,” Curatorial Statement. ADA\ Contemporary Art Gallery. https://www.ada-accra.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Lines-Through-Time-.pdf.

Contemporary And (C&). 2022. “Foster Sakyiamah: Lines Through Time.” Contemporary And. https://contemporaryand.com/exhibition/foster-sakyiamah-lines-through-time/.

Enking, Molly. 2023. “Thousands of Artists Reimagine Vermeer's 'Girl With a Pearl Earring.'” Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-vermeer-artificial-intelligence-mauritshuis-180981767/.

“FOSTER SAKYIAMAH – LINES THROUGH TIME – ADA \.” 2022. ADA \ – Contemporary Art Gallery. https://www.ada-accra.com/foster-sakyiamah-lines-through-time/#overview7ce8-d46d261f-a7bc0d4a-9731.

Hamelo, Gameli. n.d. “A Full Circle Moment for Ghanaian Artist Foster Sakyiamah.” OkayAfrica. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.okayafrica.com/african-art-fostersakyiamah/.

Institute Museum of Ghana. 2020. “Foster Sakyiamah – Noldor.” Noldor Residency. https://noldorresidency.com/artists/foster-sakyiamah/.

Royalville Communications Inc. 2022. “Foster Sakyiamah's first European solo exhibition 'Patterns of the Everyday' opens at the Kutlesa gallery.” Artdaily. https://artdaily.com/news/150471/Foster-Sakyiamah-s-first-European-solo-exhibition--Patterns-of-the-Everyday--opens-at-the-Kutlesa-gallery#.ZAkVBezMJF8.