Atta KwamiNaivasha I, 1999
Atta Kwami was a distinguished artist, art historian and curator, living and working between the UK and his home country, Ghana. With a career spanning 40 years, Kwami’s practice brought together painting, architecture, sculpture, and education. His colourful works of vibrant geometric patterns are inspired by a wide range of influences,from Ewe and Asante cloth to jazz, the tradition of mural painting and the design of street kiosks along the roads of West-African towns. Kwami is known for expanding the notions of painting, basing his practice both in the visual world of his native Ghana and in reflections on modernism. These themes can also be seen in his signature kiosk constructions and archway-like sculptures that were conceived as expanded three-dimensional paintings within outdoor spaces.
