OWUSU-ANKOMAH; TWO PRELIMINARY SKETCHES
By Nii B. Andrews
The Ghanaian born, Ghanatta College of Art alumnus, Owusu-Ankomah, has lived in Bremen, Germany since 1986.
Within the last 15 years, he has achieved international fame with representation by blue-chip galleries and premium exhibitions in London, several European countries, South Africa and the US; he has also participated in at least four exhibitions in Ghana.
Renaissance art has always fascinated him and most particularly the work of Michelangelo.
Owusu-Ankomah’s pieces (as seen here) often contain an artistically rendered powerfully athletic naked human body (or ?avatar) surrounded by and or engraved with symbols- these could be Adinkra and or written text, or graffiti- and occasionally symbols from Asia or Latin America.
The avatars in his completed works are often surrounded by a monochromatic field of green, red or blue.
Ultimately, the compositions question the notion of a settled worldview underpinned by an established set of ideas (or dogma) and iconography.
It is always instructive and interesting to be able to see the preliminary sketches of an artist while he is developing an idea.
Such preliminary studies are often little gems hidden away – for example as described here.
Owusu-Ankomah’s two simple linear drawings shown here are dynamic. They display a restrained affect but a heightened physicality that affirms their rich aesthetic quality.
The sketches are therefore excellent starter material for an art collection or an additional solid asset in an already mature or extensive collection.
