Artist Alfred Addo is rethinking what sustainable art looks like with his focus on sawdust and wood chips.
Motion and mundanity are two recurring themes in Alfred Addo's work. In his relief sculpture pieces, sharply constructed figures are seen in various states of movement, often in ordinary, simple settings. A woman walking a dog. A man sitting on a stool as he blows a trumpet. Stick figures seated on a bench while cozying up to each other. A female stick figure sits on a swing as another stick figure serenades her with a banjo. These works are striking and pulsate with a sense of aliveness that is intriguing and difficult to resist. Addo creates these sculptural pieces using sawdust and resin.
In his upcoming work, Addo continues this thematic and technical streak as he prepares to represent works that capture the subtlety of everyday life. "I like to capture moments of life where we make good memories," Addo tells OkayAfrica. "For instance, I've got a 3D piece of a family of four having a nice dinner with a little dog, simple things like that. No matter where we come from, it's very simple things like that that define moments in our lives.
Addo is one of four artist siblings from Ghana. Now based in the United States, Addo creates works that capture the spirit of his heritage and the people behind it. With a primary medium of sawdust and resin, a technique he picked up as a child, Addo is particular about creating a body of work that can speak to a global audience and invite people to places and experiences they may not be familiar with. So far, Addo has been commissioned by South African Airways and has created an art-themed wall at the United Nations headquarters in New York, amongst other feats.
Alfred Addo's works explore and tease out the simple details of everyday life.
Photo courtesy of Addo Contemporary Art.
Family work
Growing up in Ghana, Addo's first introduction to art was through his father, James Addo Sr., a renowned and established sculptor. "I got a lot of inspiration from my dad," Addo says. "He always had a different angle that nobody was looking at, and it made a mark on me in terms of how I approached my work."
Growing up, Addo himself was a natural. At school, he quickly made a name for himself during art competitions when he began making drawings for other classmates and, soon, for his neighborhood. "In those days on our street, we had a lot of shops that would come to me to create signage, and they would pay me. As much as I was making money, I was like, "Mahn, these people are not taking me seriously; they think this is the only thing I can do in life."
This uncertainty about an art career led Addo to medical school, which he later abandoned to follow his true passion. It's a decision that has paid off. Alongside his brothers, Frank Addo, Ivan Addo and James Addo, the Addo family has built and continues to build a unique art legacy where each family member contributes a strong perspective to the collection — based heavily on recycled materials. "You must always have an angle," Addo says. "If you don't have an angle, you cannot be unique or have a remarkable piece. People cannot remember what piece you did because it will get lost in the sea of different works out there."
"If you don't have an angle, you cannot be unique. You cannot have a remarkable piece."
Photo courtesy of Addo Contemporary Art.
Addo admits that it took a while to insist on his artistic language, one that favors classical African art forms and color compositions in an age where avant-garde, contemporary art sensibilities reign supreme. "It's very easy to create something, but creating something distinctly yours and establishing an entire genre is challenging. But it also makes you realize that the human mind is a more powerful tool than we think," Addo says.
Thinking forward
Addo understands the difficulties of pursuing art in a place where few art institutions exist. That was the biggest challenge for him and his brothers growing up, and it's a challenge he sees in the lives of emerging artists in Ghana. "Almost all young artists I know in Ghana are trying their best [with what they have]. Thankfully, I had a lot of experience from my dad. I saw his career and was mostly by his side, so I learned a lot."
Addo is eager to extend his support first to his siblings, whom he has guided as they entered the art world, and then to other artists from his community. "It's about understanding how to navigate the art world; that skill isn't taught in school," he says. "I'm taking on this responsibility because I have a wealth of experience." Ultimately, "We're going to open a space in Ghana where we can incubate artists and be able to expose their work. Also, mentor them on how to promote their work to get the publicity it deserves."
- Visual Artist Prince Gyasi Gathers Ghana's Hiplife Greats in 'A Great Day In Accra' Photo Series ›
- This Ghanaian Visual Artist Reimagines Beyoncé, Rihanna And Drake Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before ›
- With ‘Voices,’ Ghana’s Art Scene Tells Its Own Story ›
