“Yellow Turtleneck” is 96 x 100 cm, “Red Tulip Trench Coat” is 84.8 x 100 cm, “White Nail Polish” is 84.5 x 100 cm

 

Presented together, Yellow Turtleneck, Red Tulip Trench Coat, and White Nail Polish offer a compelling introduction to Amoako Boafo's distinctive approach to contemporary portraiture. Each work centres on a single figure, yet together they reveal the remarkable breadth of Boafo's visual language, where colour, gesture, and texture become vehicles for identity and self-expression.

 

Executed in the artist's signature finger-painted technique, the portraits are defined by their tactile surfaces and expressive immediacy. Rather than pursuing photographic realism, Boafo constructs presence through the physical act of painting itself, allowing every mark to reinforce the individuality and humanity of his subjects. Clothing, posture, and subtle personal details become integral elements of each portrait, reflecting the artist's interest in the many ways identity is communicated beyond the face alone.

 

Viewed as a group, these three editions embody the core of Boafo's practice: a celebration of visibility, dignity, and representation. Balancing bold chromatic compositions with moments of quiet introspection, they reaffirm portraiture as a powerful means of storytelling - one that invites viewers to engage not only with the sitter, but with broader questions of presence, belonging, and how we choose to present ourselves to the world.