Kwadwo Ani Exhibits "Blues" At the British Council

An exhibition of paintings by Kwadwo Ani, a renowned Ghanaian painter is taking place at the British Council in Accra. The one-week exhibition dubbed "Blues" was opened last Wednesday and ends on 26 March.

Kwadwo uses street life in the city and life of ordinary people to comment on social issues. Through his shapes, colours, movements and his observation of human nature, he captures the illusion of dream art and has a style that stands out as uniquely his.

Some of the works are being exhibited for the first time and proceeds from selected works would be donated to the Osu Children's Home as seed money for the construction of a library. The paintings have interesting titles that portray different aspects and situations of the theme of the exhibition.

The painting "Dialogue" shows how differences between individuals and families are settled in the traditional setting. The artist believes that the media must give some glimmer of "Hope" to assuage the fears of the public in the prevailing economic and political conditions. Other titles include Victim of Alcohol, Injustice, Sympathy, Helper and Temptation, Bad Man, Ban Land Mines, War and Peace and Installation.

Kwadwo Ani was born in 1966 to a transport owner. During his school days he had to combine his studies with working on one of his father's buses as a driver's mate. This combination proved too arduous for serious academic work. He managed to enroll for a course in graphics with the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) between 1988 and 1989. After saving quite a bit of money in1990, Kwadwo managed to get to the Ghanatta College of Art where he graduated with a Diploma in painting in 1993.

Kwadwo then went on to enroll at the Ankle College of Art in Accra where he attained a Diploma in Practical Painting. In 1998, Kwadjo met up with Nii Anum Telfer, who was operating the Telfer Art Gallery. Nii Anum upon realizing Kwadwo's talent decided to offer financial and moral support by assisting him open his first exhibition at Telfer Gallery. This resulted in Kwadwo being shortlisted for the Bartimus prize in Accra 2001.

In 2002 Kwadwo was judged the winner in the Royal Overseas League UK travel schorlaships for artists. Since his maiden exhibition in 1998, he has come a long way and made his mark by adopting a "na?ve" approve to his works - being childlike and not childish. The artist says he draws his inspiration from God and the environment.