Study of” Ama wearing a Gold Bracelet by Bright Kontor Osei

30 x 22 Charcoal, acrylic, gold leaf, gold paint, and Ankara Fabric on paper by Bright Kontor Osei

Artist Statement:

My work is inspired by the cities of Africa, where I was born and grew up in Ghana. Every day, I saw small traders, either carrying goods on their heads or setting up little shops by the road to make a living. I was part of this life too, since my father sold used clothes and I worked with him. This is where I really understood what it means to work hard on the city streets, with all its truth and persistence, and how most people often ignore such people.

Grounded in this background, my work examines how street workers sustain Ghana’s informal economy. It explores how their work shapes who they are and how they live. My practice also examines how informal systems drive internal migration and connect people to wider global movements of people and trade. I investigate how the effects of colonialism shape the language and phrases street workers use in daily vending. 

My work uses diverse mixed-media approaches, often incorporating vibrant Ankara Fabrics and 24K gold leaf to create figurative and text paintings of my subjects and their stories, forming diptychs. I also use drawing media to depict street landscapes and expanded works. I frequently employ installation, immersive works, video performance, and documentary photography to capture these essences, including colorful street scenes and the flow of traffic, where all the stories are embedded.

Through my work, I seek to restore a sense of pride and challenge stereotypes that these workers are pushed to the periphery. Instead, I show how they help shape culture and how global services and networks depend on their activities.