Eugene Ankomah is an internationally respected visual artist, mentor, and personality who is both known for his many innovative but unpredictable styles of art, as much as for his ever-changing self-created “Art Persona” and evolving fashion sense. Having shown his work in many countries in Europe, Africa, and the US, he is an artist with an uncommon natural ability that has seen him successfully enjoy an art career for over 25 years. We had the pleasure to catch up with Eugene to discuss his projects.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. Congratulations on your career to date. How did you get into the creative arts?
Thank you! Honestly speaking. I have always felt like I had no choice, but to be creatively curious. Whenever I’ve been asked this question. It often feels like I’m being asked a question like, how did you know when and how to eat?. Of course the answer will straight away be, because ‘I felt hungry and therefore I grabbed some food to satisfy my tummy’ type of answer.
As a child, I was so much into drawing. I drew all the time. But I also had a great curiosity about stuff I saw and found around me, and my environment in Ghana (my family moved from London to Ghana when I was very young). I still have very fond and vivid memories of the way the transparent nature of a broken bit of glass made me feel when I would find one near our house. I would then walk around and find other bits of broken glass in all kinds of colors. I would bring them home, wash them, draw them and study the way light would go through each, the way the colors reflected in sunlight, and then how glass looked under water and so forth. I was totally fascinated and blown away by all these discoveries.
Another example. I would also find bits of broken slippers or shoes and attempt to either fix them or to re-create my own version of a “shoe” or a “slipper”, by gluing bits of found leather to it, as strange as it may sound. Why I’m I giving these particular examples? Simply because in hindsight. I now realised it’s as if I had no choice, but to continue where and how it all started-creatively. As I was always inspired by stuff. At school, we would be given various drawing tasks during our art sessions, and the feeling of great happiness, but also a feeling of having total control over what I was doing with my drawings particularly was always there. My teachers and friends would always be amazed at what I would create. From these experiences, and even at that very young age of about five years, it all became quite obvious to me that this “art thing” was my comfort, my sanctuary. I never looked back!
Once back in London and at school, my art teachers quickly spotted my work and encouraged me to do more and more of it. I had a brilliant teacher named Mr. Blackburn. He was incredibly encouraging. But he also pushed me too and challenged me well beyond the realistic type of drawings I was making. He wanted me to understand the bigger scope of art as it is. I had already started getting commissions from teachers at this point. Because of my art, I would have members of the lower-year groups following me around the school sometimes. Many students would come to watch me draw and paint in the art room. I practically became the most popular student in the school at the time. With the acknowledgment came many opportunities to create more work for even more teachers who wanted a piece of my art for their homes. One of my proudest moments was being asked to produce a portrait of the head teacher who was about to retire. The piece was framed and then presented to him on his final day. In a sense, my commercial career had already started with all of these opportunities.
Who are your industry influences?
In the beginning stages, I was heavily into the renaissance artists. I liked artists but also thinkers and philosophers. I was immediately drawn to the realism that was so heavily the overriding “style” of the time. I also loved the biblical subjects depicted in a lot of their works. I studied, read about, and watched many documentaries on Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffael, Donatello the sculptor, and many others.
I was also at the same time drawn to other great artists like Rembrandt, Velazquez, Eugene Delacroix, and Goya. For me, these guys were amongst the first to start to really pull away from the strict depictions of kings, queens, the aristocrat, and the everyday man in a way that was not overly technical and “pleasing” to the sitter and viewer.
I realized their imagination, techniques, subject matter and even the way of handling paint were perhaps the beginnings of the freeing of paint as a medium to do and be what it is. In a sense, I felt like what we came to see as modern art originally started with the seeds they sew.
Moving forward, I came to not like artists like Miro, Kandinsky, and movements like cubism at first. I couldn’t at first understand it.
But then looking further into it and reading more about the thinking behind it all. I came to understand the revolutionary intentions behind the works and became totally drawn and absorbed into the power of their thinking and the power of the works. These days, my influences aren’t necessarily just artists, but creatives of all types, and even non-creatives (technically speaking). I’m just attracted to excellence and the idea of it- no matter its form. I’m as much influenced by great footballers? Jazz musicians or even philosophers as I am any artist. People like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Paganini the great violinist, Tupac, Harry Houdini, Steve Jobs or even Diego Maradona are all people who spark off my sense of playful, but fiery, inventive creativity.
We’ve had a previous conversation about artists and the different sides to their personas. You’re recognized for exhibiting sides of your personality via your distinctive attire and evolving fashion sense. For those unfamiliar with you and your practice, can you explain its importance to you as an individual and artist?
I look at the whole concept from several angles. For me, the holistic presentation of one’s work has to not just stop at the work -whatever that might be. I believe in the idea of also revealing and mixing one’s interests, philosophy and personality, even if that is not immediately related to art. There’s something I call “The 3 dimensionality of the artist”. It is based on the artist as a presenter of authentic ideas and concepts. For the artist to give more of themselves to the process of making the art. So that in the end, the viewer or consumer of the work gets to feel they have had the opportunity to experience the “soul” of the artist, in a way that creates avenues for the viewer to also expand themselves and to see greater possibilities within art in general, and if fortunate, within themselves. Just in case that sounds a bit unclear, part of what I’m trying to say is the artist has to find a way to give more “personality” beyond the actual physical or digital work they create. I always say I never want to cheat my audience. I want to always truthfully communicate and express who I am at any given moment- without fear. This is how the “multimedia” aspect became part of my work.
For me, it’s also an excuse to reflect my interest in fashion, the power of symbols, color, my ancestry, culture, and all sorts of other things I want to share. It’s also about what clothes do to us. In terms of how they help us project ourselves into the world in a unique way. It’s also about my obsession with creation.
People are often surprised that I design or customize a lot of what I wear. That I think through and choose what works with what. It’s all fun really. I’m similar to a child playing “dress up”. It’s about extending the norm and fearlessly delving into, or tapping into the power we all have in our brain to be – whatever. To be whatever we want, instead of letting brands dictate who they think we should be. I have nothing against brands. I just think we ought to take full control of who we are without their interruption. We are all also very capable of creating and starting the next trend. We just need the confidence to dare try.
Whenever I have “changed” my outfits or introduced a new “persona” (which for me is just the reflection of another side of me). All I’m really doing is saying, ‘hey let’s see what other side of me I can bring out’. The introduction of “this other side” is important to me because it helps to refresh my general outlook. It’s like an “upgrade” if you like. This, in turn, reflects on the nature of the physical work, ie its style, maybe its theme, materials I employ, ways I choose to present the work, and on and on. It’s a re-inventive mechanism.
This is something I wrote down recently that relates.
‘Its not my fault. Life changed, my experiences changed. So me and my art also changed’
You spent your early childhood living in Ghana with your parents and four siblings, before the family relocated to Brent, in west London, the United Kingdom in 1990. Please tell us more about your childhood experiences and your gradual exposure to the creative arts.
As some may know, Africa generally, and in this case, Ghana was and is a beautiful place – beautiful in a different type of way to say London or New York. It generally and visually offered me boundless inspiration. My father was a soldier and my mum was a Seamstress and a designer of women’s traditional African/European-inspired outfits. I’m mentioning the bit about my parents because it became clear to me some time ago, that growing up around what they did (professionally) has had an influence on me – my mother, with my sense of fashion and creating it. And with my father, more reflective of the army/armed forces symbols to be seen on some of my outfits.
I grew up in an environment that allowed us to easily mix with our neighbors and other families around in a way that encouraged a real sense of community, partnership and looking out for our fellow human beings- just as they reach out to us when they need arose.
As mentioned earlier, I grew up naturally gravitating towards drawing and making things. Another thing that really inspired me visually, was a couple of brothers who owned the most beautiful public garden I had ever seen. This garden was so colorful and filled with beautiful plants, flowers, and really exotic mixture of botanical plants and wild forest type of plants. All beautifully arranged and organized. In addition, these brothers were also painters. I remember they had a section of the garden that displayed several paintings they had made of women carrying children. And then some images of traditional figures in African attire. Upon seeing these artworks, I would go back often, just to sit, walk around and stare at these beautiful pieces of art. All these had a profound effect on me. It triggered and encouraged my curiosity to create, and I couldn’t really get enough of it.
I had also started to copy drawings my big sister had made as part of her school work. She also encouraged me to draw often. I had at the same time also found a sketchbook that belonged to one of my aunties. She had left it in our house. She was a good draftswoman and her drawings fascinated me, as they were quite realistic and well-observed images of baskets and fruits and household objects.
From as early as I can remember, I was always been told I was good at drawing and making stuff out of found objects. This helped to instill a belief in my abilities. At school, we would have art tests to draw images of our choice from books. I remember so vividly. I would copy the images accurately. But I would always improvise as well. When the teacher gave out the results after a few days, I always received the highest marks out of the targeted 100 percent. I knew with all these experiences, that art was then, and will always be a trusted life companion.
You were the first-ever recipient of the Peter Evans Award, (originally funded by the family of the late Peter Evans) awarded by his school for best student, winning a prize fund of £900. Several notable art prizes and awards have followed over the years, but how significant was this award in shaping your aspirations?
The Peter Evans Award was such an unbelievable moment. It capped a year of continuous work and an amazing period when I was absorbing so much art history and really proving to myself further that I had the natural understanding to take on anything that I put my mind to. A moment of really stretching myself beyond any perceived borders. In the end, it all showed in my works, and the reaction from students, teachers and external examiners, and the family of Peter Evans was so so special and rewarding. To have received a standing ovation felt like a dream really. The award in the end confirmed everything I knew and believed about myself. But still, to receive it was one of the most encouraging gestures I could have ever had at the time to push me further and forward.
The examiner had said she was surprised that I had managed to “create highly developed works, whilst demonstrating a deep understanding of the works of some great artist in the modern era”. I received I was told, one of the “highest” A-Level results in the UK. The compliments alongside the award shot my confidence into orbit. It gave me a sense of real hope moving forward. That I could achieve great things.
Solo exhibitions and displays include Buckingham Palace London (Flag design) 2003, Carnaby St. London 2005, Gallery Technohoros Athens 2011, Art House London 2014, Royal Festival Hall, and The Windmill London 2015. You have also exhibited at the annual Screen Nation Awards and showcased work on British and international TV stations. Whilst you have many accolades, what is your proudest achievement to date, and why?
Thank you! A lovely intro to the question. A tricky one to answer though. Just because there are so many things that I can talk about. But perhaps my answer will be quite unexpected. Above all the accolades is my mindset and how it’s shaped what I think about myself. How I hold myself accountable for being authentically who I am. I choose to talk about this, as I have realized it’s a difficult quality to uphold consistently in one’s practice. I’ve been told this and have had endless conversations about the importance of it, with many creative friends. This is an important thing to me also, because it can take a long time to cultivate. Especially bearing in mind there are many disappointments and hurdles on the journey of being an artist.
I believe once we set our mind in the right mode, to unashamedly represent our “insides Out”, then great achievements of all kinds will follow suit naturally, and we tend to appreciate what we have achieved even more perhaps. So, reiterating. My proudest achievement is having held myself together and not allowed all the naysayers, doubters, the sometimes bad disappointments to have slowed me down in any way – despite of how bad it felt at the time. What I continue to achieve with the work is any ones guess!
Your diverse body of mixed media paintings and installations originate from a captivation with fear, suspicion, anxiety, and distraction within the contemporary era. Can you explain the origins of these topics, and your methodology in creating work, and choosing mediums that appropriately capture your themes?
Great question! I have always been chiefly aware and observant of our human psychological tendencies. Especially concerning the things that make us afraid, which causes anxiety within us as individuals and within society as a whole. I have been fascinated with how it leads to overblown ideas and perceptions that are often untrue and can even lead to destruction. Whether this is the fear of the unknown, the fear of the “other”, the fear of violence or of viruses.
I grew up suffering from a bit of anxiety from about age about 13 years till I was about 21 years of age. Looking back, I realized it all started after I was bullied and taunted by several people at school. They would tease me about everything starting from the fact that I had been living in Africa (I had arrived back in London with my family at the time). They even teased me about the fact that I was just naturally shy. Throughout my experiences, I was fully aware the anxiety that I was feeling wasn’t really who I was. For a while, It warped my view of people and created more fear. But I knew I had to fight it. I need I had to overcome it. So I started to focus on my strengths. With my art as my weapon. Over time, I won.
My experiences with anxiety and that of some close people I know had a great influence on me taking it up as a theme within my Cover-Upp paintings – project. I guess working through the various themes with the paintings has been super therapeutic for me also.
My cover Cover-Upps employs a different way of thinking and painting. With different materials compared to my other known projects. I wanted to metaphorically speak of the unknown in these works and how that has a fear-driven effect on our minds. So they were mainly conducted using lots of wrapping tape (the see-through multicolored ones) I would paint images, symbols, information, and collages. Creating strong textures. Then I would cover up what had been painted with the wrapping tapes. This created both depth, but also acted as a sort of metaphorical barrier to what the viewer had to overcome, peeking to see what was being “hidden” behind the wrapping tape.
Perhaps a difficult question, but is there a particular project you’re most proud of, and why? (any images would be great!)
A good question. I have often avoided asking myself this question, because I have many projects that I could mention for various specific reasons. But I like this question because it forces me to have to choose something.
Like a lot of creatives, I make work to obviously share, to have people experience it or engage with it, and to sell. I always hope to add some extra value into the world, to awaken one’s senses, memories, and delve into the unexplained mysterious psyche in a way that hopefully increases our awareness of ourselves as living breathing beings, who may become more aware of the hidden dormant emotions, feelings, and connections that may not have been triggered before. And if triggered before, then I hope to increase its results.
I want the work to go on walls and live in spaces and places that allow the work to live by adding to its environment. Becoming part and parcel of the space and hopefully the lives who come to enjoy it, or maybe even repelled by it. To be seen by those who may not have come to yet connect with it or even like it. At least they to have an emotional reaction that may have a good reason behind it. Whatever the case, I hope to take the power of art and to place it right in the middle of life, in the middle of one’s heart – by its theme, techniques, presentation, and so forth. And to say to the viewer ‘look, here’s something that is part of the fabric of our lives’, even if they could not immediately relate. Even if it all feels foreign at first or for a while. I want there to be an unavoidable embrace or conflict with the piece of work, or the project, and within the person-owner and viewers of the work.
For the reasons mentioned above, I will for now choose my ongoing project ‘Re-Claim’.
This project began in 2019. It’s something that I started in order to specifically raise awareness of the knife crime epidemic in the UK. To add mass voices to the ongoing conversation on the topic. But more importantly to first engage young people and communities in a way that would highlight the preciousness of life – young lives particularly. To celebrate living and the prospect of a beautiful future filled with possibilities, achievement, collaboration, community, and love. But in order to do this with the work. It had to also, in an immediate way present what appears to reflect the opposite – death. That is how project Re-Claim has managed to grip its audiences in a discourse that is both emotionally triggering, and intensely engaging. It is an installation that has to be physically experienced in its space to fully grasp its presence and power. The arrangement (Installation) consists of a host of deliberate multimedia mishmash that can be broken down into painting, drawing, Sound (soundtrack) Smell, craft, arrangements, found objects, origami, performance art, written text, and more.
The way re-Claim has affected the young people who have helped to create its many elements in a truthful, raw expression. Has inspired me endlessly to keep creating and developing this project into the special expression that it is.
Being an artist is an evolving process, based on creative processes, learning, and experiences. After many successful exhibitions and projects, what have you learned most about yourself as a practitioner, and what advice would you give to emergent artists reading this article?
It sure is an evolving process being an artist. Well, at least it should be.
One of the aspects of art making I enjoy the most is the creative freedom that is available – although I’m aware some have not taken advantage of it. And without that awareness, we sell ourselves short of our potential reach.
I also learned early on, that I would never stay still for too long as an artist. Not in the “style” of the work I make, not in what I treat – thematically or conceptually. Not in the way I present the works, and certainly not what people might limit me to. I learned I like to take risks and invent something new.
I have come to realize that I am an extremely curious being who wants to try and understand how and why things work generally. But even better, how and why the human mind works the way it does – this info feeds my art unbelievably. That knowledge is something that is to me invaluable. As described in the previous questions, I discovered my “3 dimensionality”, and this means I will forever be introducing new ideas, new approaches, and concepts into my art. And sometimes through a new persona. I and my creations can be provocative and challenging of the status quo and what people might expect of me to create because I always see other possibilities, alternative viewpoints, and so forth. But at the same time, my playfulness comes through in all I produce.
I am spontaneous and trusting of my mind to allow me to think differently, and therefore see and make differently. This has continued to serve me extremely well.
I want to see myself and other artists do more to integrate art into our day-to-day lives. Even if that is on an emotional or psychological level. I am always striving for this.
My advice to emergent artists is, to use their personal life experiences as much a part of their work as possible. It helps to make the work more authentic. It is your truth, your story, your perspective.
It is important to study what’s gone before. Study it and admire it all you want. But do not worship it. Instead, use the energy it’s provided you to move your own work to newer, greater heights.
Have lots of fun making what you make and never take it too seriously either. In that more relaxed state of mind, you are far more likely to make great discoveries with your work. And other people will also acknowledge the spirit behind your work.
Do not waste time worrying about rules. Play art like a board game. Move in the direction you want. Move as if you were a king.
Finally, decide and commit to your work and the processes. Be patient with yourself and with the time it might take to achieve your goals. It is important to define what success looks like to you in the early days. Then go for it! Stay consistent and focused always!
Please tell us more about your current project ‘Above and Beyond ‘and what we can expect to see.
Above & Beyond’ is reflective of the time we’re in at the moment. Most of the work made for that exhibition was constructed during roughly two years of lockdown. Like many millions of people around the world, lock down presented me with a different perspective on things. I made sure to develop a new routine, in order to keep up with my creativity. It worked! The work reflected that tension and conflict.
In the exhibition, I wanted to simply share all the tension I was feeling during the lockdown. But I wanted it to have underlining celebratory overtones. After what I and many felt had been such a long time in lockdown, I wanted the works to celebrate the emergence of freedom and the change of weather in London. I wanted to achieve a level of playfulness, a sense of freedom, and provide a real sense of release and escape through the show.
The show included paintings, a film, my BW prints, drawing and installations, and several experimental structural stuff that included paintings on TV monitors and my newly introduced “EA Structures”.
Some of the paintings had “interactive” features via the use of materials. For example, the viewer could lift a curtain material of a painting titled I.S.O.L.A.T.E to see what was hidden underneath it. The painting in question depicted a calm homely scene that was based on the intense confusing feelings of lockdown.
We recently interviewed filmmaker Domenico Di Lillo about your collaboration titled ‘The Process’ Can you tell us more about this project?
Yes absolutely. Our collaboration on ‘The Process’ is a fun collar. Dom is a pretty talented filmmaker, but also a thinker with solid positive creative energy. The documentary explores and delves into my creative process as a contemporary Visual Artist and what has been often called an idiosyncratic approach that I have. So it’s largely based on not just how I express myself through my art. But it looks at my practice holistically. So for example, we have filmed at award ceremonies that I have attended and received several new awards recently. Other documented situations include myself working at the studio or giving a speech at an event, and even footage from my recent exhibition ‘Above and Beyond’. We periodically share snippets of this on social media, via “trailer” like short clips, which is building up a momentum towards what we hope to release later, as a full doc. It is very exciting! For anyone wanting to know more about the development of the documentary and to see how I operate, and the multiple ways I approach my art and creativity. This doc will be a treat!
What other projects are you currently working on?
I am always working on multiple projects. Probably up to 5 or 6 at any given time.
I am always on the go on several large-scale paintings at any given time, both at home and in the studio space. These paintings are being made for my next exhibition – I have a couple of offers, but I’m yet to decide.
Here’s a selection of stuff I’ve recently been working on and currently undertaking.
The brilliant filmmaker Cassius Rayner has just released a beautiful short doc on my work, the approach to my work, and “looks” I create with my fashion. That’s an exciting one that I look forward to exposing to my audience.
I am also in the midst of completing a series of new works in completely new material and using techniques I have never used before – with a whole new concept inspired by Covid and the pandemic. Alongside this, I am also creating a new “persona” to front these works. I’m very excited to eventually introduce this project.
I’m also about to start a couple of works towards an exhibition happening at the Southwark Park art gallery in September. I’ve also been asked to contribute some works towards the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair this year.
I will also be making appearances at a couple of public events in July.
I have also just finished filming a short movie ‘Pensive Moments’, as part of a series being created by the fantastic British actor Tom Michaelson. We had alot of fun and laughter filming with the lovely and funny actress Corrinne Wicks.
For anyone wanting to keep up, do keep your eyes on my social media handles (links below)
Where can our readers find out more about you and your projects? Note: please provide website and social media links.
For any past articles, interviews, and so forth, do check out google or my website:
http//:eugeneankomah.com
There is some good stuff on youtube in general. But my personal channel is
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl7x4ULeTnZ2Nm5hYlL7lcg
Instagram: ·
https://www.instagram.com/eugeneankomah/?hl=en
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/eugene.ankomah
images:
- At The Studio -Photo by Stefon Grant.
- EA on the way to Judging World Arab Art competition -Mayfair London.
- With a Painting At Home .2022
- With A Painting At Home. 2021 (1)
- Re-Claim ‘Bury The Hatchet’ in Woolwich, London. Photo by Stefon Grant
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