Kofi Wayo 2022

Cornelius Annor painted 'Kofi Wayo' using acrylic and pastel. I imagine Annor was deeply invested in the process of layering, balancing the flat planes of color with these detailed patterns. The backdrop feels like a conversation between order and chaos, a bit like life, right? There’s this tension between the controlled portraiture and the wild patterned background, and I wonder if he felt a similar pull between different ways of seeing and being. Look at the juxtaposition of the man’s solid form against the swirling backdrop. See how the artist has captured Kofi's gaze, a gentle expression? It's like Annor invites us to consider the individual within a broader cultural context. This piece reminds me of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's portraits, but with a playful, graphic twist. It's as if all these artists are riffing off each other, painting their own versions of the human story. Painting’s like that, an ongoing conversation where ideas keep evolving.