Kwesi Botchway
2 collaborations
Kwesi Botchway’s portraits relish in colour. Flat, brightly coloured backdrops accentuate the dark skin of the figures – which the artist renders in deep, nearly-black shades of purple. Seeking to “elevate Blackness,” the artist sees purple as a symbol of luxury and power, equating his figures with royalty. Highlights are layered in cross-hatching brushstrokes to give the skin an ethereal glow, tying into the expressive painting style Botchway dubs “Afro-impressionism.” In contrast to his earlier realist work, this style draws inspiration from contemporary painters such as Amy Sherald and Kerry James Marshall who use many different hues to depict Black skin – embracing the many intricacies of melanin.
