It Takes Two 2020

Cornelius Annor made this painting, called 'It Takes Two', and it's really about how process and colour can construct our experience of the world. I love the way Annor plays with opacity. Certain figures appear ghostlike, their forms dissolving into the pale blue-grey background, while others are built up with layers of darker tones. Look at the figure on the left, his patterned fabric shimmers with metallic gold, a stark contrast to the smooth matte surface of the white shirt worn by the central figure. The painting seems to be set on a staircase, which may also be a map of somewhere. The figures are captured in a moment of intense concentration, deeply immersed in the game at hand. This piece reminds me of Njideka Akunyili Crosby's collage-like paintings, where personal narratives intersect with broader cultural histories. Like Crosby, Annor uses the language of painting to explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging. Art, after all, is just an ongoing conversation across time, isn't it?