Anadwo Anigye 2021

Cornelius Annor made this party scene, Anadwo Anigye, at an unknown date, but just imagine how it might have come into being, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. Look at the way the figures are constructed with bold outlines and flat planes of color. The background is a deep, solid blue, setting the stage for the lively scene unfolding in the foreground. The floor is a patchwork of colorful squares, each one different from the last, which looks like a party in full swing. I wonder what Annor was thinking when he made this, maybe trying to capture the joy of a celebration. The textures and patterns are so vivid, you can almost feel the music and the energy of the dancers. It reminds me of other painters who use pattern and color to create a sense of rhythm and movement, like Bisa Butler and her quilted portraits. Artists are always in conversation, aren’t they? We bounce ideas off each other across time, inspiring each other's creativity. Painting is a form of embodied expression, which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.