CONTACT: gohughes@gmail.com
“His works are thematically dominated by visual reminders of the ubiquity of violence – in nature and in man, whose own contribution is a part of nature. Thus, not only natural disasters are shown in his paintings and performances, but also the savage side of man and human societies – from colonialism to present-day global conflicts, as well as “traditional” rites. The artist’s work reflects his deep interest in violence and its related emotional dynamics. His pictures are disturbing and troubling, and are not easy to interpret, due to his choice of imagery. Everywhere we see confusing images associated with decadence and evocative of man’s futile attempts to conquer nature. Through his depiction of things associated with violence such as severed limbs of humans and animals, and his unexpected and disturbing juxtapositions of body parts or skeletons with man-made objects such as guns or commercial signs, he creates an imagery that has often been described as “nightmarish” (John Brandenburg) or as “too much for an untrained eye” (Jennifer Shirk). For the artist, “the use of violent narratives in painting and performance… is a civil necessity if the objective is to speak against the negative effects of violence. It is an intellectual choice to override personal emotions with artistic passion.”
Dr. Stefan Eisenhofer
Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde
Munich/ Germany
2009
CONTACT: gohughes@gmail.com
ARTIST STATEMENT
Art has become a ‘forum’ through which I visually analyze the predicaments of humanity such as war, violence and tragedy. Our beliefs, occupations, destiny and how they affect our relationship with fellow human beings, continues to intrigue and inspire me to work.
Born after the Gold Coast, now Ghana received its independence from Britain, I was brought up and educated in a postcolonial environment. My experiences through boarding school, and growing up in four major cities of Ghana: Accra, Sekondi-Takoradi, Cape Coast and Kumasi have shaped the narrative of my art. The psychological effects of Ghanaian superstition, religion, feuds, tragedies, rituals, and urban iconography, all existing under a cosmopolitan umbrella have influenced me. I have come to appreciate the beauty of my own culture in addition to other cultures for the purpose of creative development.
My paintings are composed with fragments of recognizable imagery transformed by memory, imagination, and material properties into metaphoric constructions. Animal and human body parts, commercial iconography, symbols and signs are woven into my compositions. The paintings incorporate mixed-media such as acrylics, oils, enamels, latex, dimensional fabric paints in addition to found materials. The surfaces of the paintings are often built up with several layers of paint, through various evolutions of imagery till a convincing picture emerges.
My three dimensional works are often created from found objects reconfigured into hybrids often exhibited as site specific installations or as individual objects.
My performances reference through interdisciplinary media and collaborations with other artists the nature of our daily routines and obsessions. Ritual, audio-visual improvisations, music, dance, makeup, robotic/remote controlled toys and painting feature extensively in my performance work.
George ‘Afedzi’ Hughes
2009
Contact: gohughes@gmail.com
INTERVIEWS: November 18th 2008.
1.) Ned Prickett: When did your passion for art emerge?
George: My passion for art started before kindergarten. I drew on the wall of the apartment complex my parents rented with charcoal from the cooking grill. Although I drew and painted as a teenager, I never thought of pursuing art as a career. It was after high school when I realized I had hit a wall, I contemplated becoming an artist. My decision was intense.
2.) Ned Prickett: You mention on your website that you received a western style education. Does that influence separate your work in a way from other artists from Ghana who may not have had that influence?
George: Western style boarding school is not unusual in Ghana. The kind of education that an artist receives in Ghana often determines the nature of their work. So the answer is yes. Artist who receive academic education express themselves in their art differently from those who study under apprenticeship in workshops or those who receive no training at all.
3.) Ned Prickett: what are the biggest influences from your culture that you consistently find represented in your art?
George: The biggest influences from my culture are the psychological effects of superstition, family feuds, family tragedies, traditional rituals, community fraternities, urban iconography, and colonial and postcolonial histories.
4.) Ned Prickett: Finding influence in several different cultures are you struck by the differences between the cultures? Or do you find the similarities more interesting?
George: In my work I play with the juxtaposition of both the differences and similarities within various cultures.
5.) Ned Prickett: Could you talk a little bit about your families background. What did your parents do? Were either of them artists?
George: My father worked as a journalist in Accra for the Ghanaian Times from late 1950s to mid 1970s, then he worked as a Public Relations officer for the Sekondi-Takoradi City Council from late 1970s to 1994 when he passed away. My mother worked as a trader.
6.) Ned Prickett: Do you visit Ghana regularly? Do you keep in touch, talk with other artists there?
George: I go to Ghana every 4 to 5 years. Yes I keep in touch with a few friends back home.
