Two Black Maidens 2022

Cornelius Annor’s ‘Two Black Maidens’ presents a mesmerizing dance of color and pattern. I can imagine Annor layering the paint, building up the surface with intuitive strokes, each layer a response to the last. The patterns on their dresses and the wallpaper are so vivid; they feel like a language. I wonder, what was he thinking as he painted each detail, each fold, each curve? Was he thinking about Matisse? These textiles remind me of him. The figures themselves are so present, but not in a photorealistic way. It's as if Annor is painting an idea of them, a feeling. It reminds me of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, capturing a mood more than a likeness. There’s this sense of conversation happening between artists across time and place. It's a reminder that painting is always an exchange, always a dialogue.