Kojo Marfo | HOME: Heart Of My Existence

Kojo Marfo (b. 1980, Ghana) is a Ghanaian artist based in London. Marfo developed his interest in art and visual culture through traditional Akan artifacts, sculptures and carvings that he was exposed to as a child growing up in Ghana. These artifacts still remain a vital source of strength for Marfo. He references traditional Akan art to highlight social issues, such as inequalities, religion, politics, and spiritualism. After travelling to New York and London, Marfo has developed a unique style that encompasses his wide range of influences in an effort to express his experiences and comment on society.

 

Marfo’s work seeks to re-establish the immense richness that is lacking in mainstream representations of African people. He hopes to explore a self-referential perspective of the Black image by creating figurative abstractions that showcase the beauty woven into Africa’s social and geographical fabric.

Marfo attributes his style to AfroGenesis, a concept he created in response to the traditions, influences, and personal visions that shape his work. He incorporates elements of Old Master and Cubist techniques, coalescing them with Ghanaian artistic traditions, which remain central to his visual language.

 

 

This exhibition showcases Marfo’s mastery of colour, employing vibrant palettes that serve as an initial entry point into a deeper exploration of his internal landscape. His layered compositions reveal complex narratives about the human condition, offering reflections on community, personal history, and forces that shape our sense of place.