Tonica’s Locks

Amoako Boafo, 2021

The large size of Amoako Boafo’s oil painting makes this contemporary portrait feel monumental and grand. Standing nonchalantly but confidently against a beige wall, Tonica wears a casual white top and khaki bottoms. The hues of her clothing contrast with her skin and the shadow cast behind her shows off her short locks. The Ghanian painter studied at the Ghanatta College of Art and Design as well as the

Academy of Fine Arts

Vienna, and his works depict contemporary Black subjects from Africa and the African Diaspora in all their individuality, complexity, and beauty. Boafo often works in deliberately flat and bold monochromatic color palettes while creating backgrounds and clothing. He then finger paints his sitters’ skin, literally and figuratively offering a personal touch in his portraiture.