Something about You

Amoako Boafo’s Seattle exhibition at SAM, his first ever solo museum show, is one of the best exhibitions I’ve seen recently.

As soon as you enter the exhibition space, you’re blown away by both the artworks and the way they’re presented: the walls are a soft pink, a sunflower yellow, and a crispy-cream white. Just dive in and get involved with this beautiful scene! Feel the sweeping, curved finger strokes – yes! not brush strokes – of Amoako, look at all those pretty and interesting faces, and please : fall in love! 

The colors of the walls emphasize the attractive skin tones even more, giving a soothing, comfy environment to these strong painted artworks. 


You’ll find a lot of portraits, people with expressive faces, they wear deep red lips, jewelry, turbans, there are elegantly dressed women and half-naked men. 

The artist Amoako was born in 1984 in Osu, Ghana, taught himself to paint and draw as a child and studied in Accra at the Ghanatta College of Art and Design, later attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria. He is presented by the Gagosian Mega Gallery and the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.

As one of the most important artists shaping contemporary African culture, it was only a matter of time that he would have his first solo museum exhibition, it is Seattle, Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. 


Amoako decided early on to focus on these portraits of black people and some self-portraits as a kind of autobiographical exploration of his embodied self. 

The artist believes that spaces and places change the way he works, and that a successful artist must touch people with his work. When asked why he became a painter, he answers that he just enjoyed painting, later he knew he wanted to make it, and here he is.

Maybe life is all about fun, love and the freedom to do what you want. The best way to succeed, I think. For yourself. 

Always. 

Forever. 

Are you ready for the future, for now, wherever, wo:

Go Amoako!


Seattle Art Museum . Amoako Boafo . Soul of Black Folks . Juli, 13th — September, 10th, 2023.