Padiki with King Mswati III
Ghanaian Guinness World Record-holding eco-artist Sharon Dede Padi, professionally known as Padiki, has represented Ghana on one of Africa's most significant royal stages, performing a live painting for His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The landmark event, which took place on Friday, April 24, 2026, marked the King's 58th birthday and his 40th anniversary on the throne, a historic occasion attended by heads of state and dignitaries from across the continent and beyond.
Ghanaian artist Sharon Dede Padiki breaks Guinness World Record
Padiki was invited to perform at the celebrations by Eswatini's Ministry of Tourism, led by Minister Hon Jane Mkhonta Simelane, in collaboration with the Royal Kingdom.
The founder of Padiki Art Gallery in Ghana, who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest leaf print painting by a single artist, created a work she titled “Two Kingdoms, One Africa,” a piece that fused leaves she carried from Ghana with others gathered in Eswatini, weaving the natural materials of two African nations into a single, unified canvas.
"I carried leaves from Ghana across the continent and gathered others in Eswatini. Each leaf holds the memory of where it grew — rain, heat, time, people. They meet here on a single surface," Padiki said in her artist statement.
At the centre of the painting stands King Mswati III, whom Padiki described not merely as a figure but as a symbol of grounded and enduring leadership.
"He is placed as a point of grounding, a custodian of continuity. His presence reflects a lineage that has held through change, much like the oldest trees whose roots remain long after seasons pass," she said.
The work also incorporates the outline of the African continent as its foundation, with gold tones representing enduring value and woven, patterned colours speaking to identity shaped across generations.
"In this work, leadership is understood as something that must endure. It must hold memory, guide growth, and remain steady while the world shifts around it," Padiki said.
A photograph from the event shows the artist standing proudly beside King Mswati III, both holding the completed painting.
She was also pictured with the crown prince, Prince Bandzile of Eswatini.
Her appearance at the Eswatini royal celebrations marks one of the most prominent international stages the Ghanaian artist has graced, further cementing her reputation as one of Africa's most compelling creative voices.
ID/BAI
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