The drama: multi-layered, challenging our perception of observation and narrative.
The scene: reminiscent of a crime investigation, employing universally recognisable yellow forensic markers to delineate various objects within a domestic setting.
Chairs, cups, a red ring box, a trashed piece of paper, and a recycling bin overlaid with a vibrant, almost chaotic network of abstract lines: the hint of a human figure in a dense, energetic field.
The question: what remains when an event concludes?
The power of absence, the enduring traces of activity, and the inherent human drive to find order and meaning amidst chaos: this piece does not offer answers—self-reflection remains essential to ponder on the unseen drama that shapes our lives.
Negyem Adonoo is a Ghanaian artist known for his heavily textured paintings that explore memory and human presence in abandoned spaces. He creates signature canvases with abrasive, geological surfaces built from molding paste, oil pastels, and acrylic paint that act as metaphors for history, loss, and erosion. Adonoo holds a higher certificate in painting from the Ghanatta College of Art and Design, Accra (2012). He debuted at the Efie Gallery in Dubai (2021); his work has also been shown internationally at The Chilli Art Project (London, 2023) and “I Hear In Colours” (Japan, 2023), as well as locally at the National Museum Gallery and the European Union (EU) in Ghana. His art is in significant international collections, including Efie Gallery and Prefere Gallery (Japan).
Adonoo’s significant recognitions include: the Leukemia Art Prize in Ghana (2019); a selection for the Rele Foundation’s “Young Contemporary Booth Camp” in Nigeria; and a top 10 finalist position for the Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art Accra, Ghana.