Erica Adjei from Accra, Ghana creates collages using discarded papers such as medicine boxes and newspapers. She makes papercuts and uses them to dress her figures. By recycling waste paper, she raises awareness about environmental issues in her community while also celebrating the energy, positivity, and diverse beauty of Africa.
How did your art journey begin?
My journey as an artist began at Akyem Sekyere S.D.A School in the Eastern Region in Ghana, where I explored the realms of visual art. My studies included picture making, leatherwork, economics, and general knowledge in art (G.K.A). These experiences formed the foundation for my passion in the arts and the unique blend of techniques I bring to my work.
How did you find your own style?
Rooted in both the bustling city of Accra and the serene landscapes of the Eastern Region, my art is a fusion of urban vibrancy and the cultural richness of my heritage. Embracing sustainability, I express myself by using recycled paper, which addresses environmental concerns in my community while celebrating the energy, positivity, and diverse beauty of Africa.
When I completed my studies a year ago, I realized that bookbinding is a popular practice in Midtown. Many publishing companies are based there, and they distribute books to various countries, including parts of Ghana. I got the idea to use their waste paper for my artwork. I believe in using waste paper to create something new in my own style. It's like giving new life to something old or discarded.
How do you work with these papers?
First, I need to cut the papers. Sometimes, I have a machine to do this, but other times, I need to cut them by hand. Occasionally, the papers are already cut, so I must find the best shapes and forms for my paintings and compose a collage with them. I use various types of papers, such as medicine or hair product boxes, newspapers, and so on, which already have their own colors. I don't paint these papers; instead, I take advantage of their natural colors.
How do you compose in general?
I have a sketchbook. I make drawings before I start to paint, and I also take photos of my family to find the best poses or compositions for my paintings. Sometimes, I scroll through Pinterest to get an idea. Then, I paint my background and the figure, and finally, I arrange my papercuts.
Let's discuss your choice of predominantly featuring female figures as your subjects. What is the reason behind selecting women as your primary subjects?
As an artist, I also find joy in painting men to showcase the diversity and beauty of the black community. I'm not a feminist; through my paintings, I aim to celebrate the richness of black culture and black people.
Nevertheless, my affinity for painting women stems from the belief that they are exceptional. Women possess a unique beauty and grace that gives them an influential presence in society. Their strength and elegance inspire me, and I want to capture these qualities in my art.
Why do you use the color orange to paint arms or legs?
I use the color orange because it has different meanings; it's a symbol. It's a color of happiness, of future possibilities, and of vibrant and joyful joy. The origin of the color, as seen by the eyes, is also associated with happiness, and it also represents enthusiasm.
But, for me, adding this color to the eyes makes your women more confident and a bit demonic as well. I see femme fatales.
The focal point of my paintings is the eye, the gaze, which is adorned with a vibrant orange hue, symbolizing the youthfulness in my creations. It is believed to bring positive energy, ignite creativity, bring happiness, and open the mind. By intentionally using natural skin tones, I aim to portray Africa in a positive light, showcasing its inherent beauty and diversity.
Do your paintings also have a political angle?
My artworks are a testament to the merging of black experiences, creating a visual narrative that goes beyond aesthetics to encompass sustainability and cultural celebration.
What does black joy mean to you?
It's about black people, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement. We are discussing our experiences based on our skin color. We have faced many challenges, but being black is now something to be proud of. Black people are more visible, and the art scenes are talking more about black people, focusing on their background but also on their own styles and voices.
You use papercuts to design clothes for your figures. These are very vibrant details with a lot of colors and patterns. How are you connected to fashion?
In our modern fashion, we celebrate the diversity of Africa through our unique clothing styles, which differ from those of other cultures or of other countries. Combi
ning the traditional and the modern clothes can lead to great ideas in fashion and make our sense of style stand out. By incorporating elements, we can create distinctive looks. This is an expression of creativity, like the arrangement of papers in my works.
How do your people dress around you?
Fashion is very important in our neighborhood. My community is really into fashion, especially hair styling. People blend traditional and international styles very well. I use fancy styles in my paintings to show how my people find their unique look. Haircuts play a significant role in my paintings as well, and I particularly admire the bold haircuts I see there.
How do you decide which haircut to capture?
I am inspired by the hairstyles that they wear here. It's the style of festivals and for parties, they like doing that kind of spicy stuff. Also they like wearing hats. They prefer those kind of vague or fancy hats.
Your background consists of only one color, lacking any space or details, reminiscent of magazine cover photos.
I use a single color background to ensure that the focus remains on the figures in my paintings. Sometimes I like to take a moment to observe my surroundings and think about the textures and colors I see. This helps me decide what color to choose for a painting. I use acrylic on canvas because it dries faster and I am always searching for exciting papers.
Your paintings are connected not only to fashion photography but also to cartoons.
I strive to achieve a balance between different qualities, drawing inspiration from fashion photography and cartoons. In particular, I am captivated by cartoons featuring colorful eyes and youthful characters.
You capture your figures at their golden ages; I see women in their 30s or 40s.
These paintings celebrate youth and its beauty. These characters are very meaningful to me, and I love to capture them in their best condition and beauty.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty is mostly about character. In Ghana, when I think of beauty, I think of your personality. Beauty is about your skin, the way you dress, and the way you talk.
I wanted to capture the beauty in people's eyes and then express their feelings and thoughts through fashion. We mostly talk about the appearance of a person, but my work revolves around the concept of beautification within struggle. I believe that in our pursuit of education and work, we often neglect ourselves. We focus on making money and fulfilling obligations but forget to make time for ourselves. We didn't have time to relax, go on vacations, and spend time with our families and friends. But it's important to find and appreciate moments of beauty, grace, or positivity, even during tough times. True beauty, to me, lies in having time for yourself and your loved ones – that's the essence of beautification within struggle. Most of my works are dealing with this notion. "Cheers" is, for instance, about having free time and enjoying yourself.
You like to make unusual compositions. For example, in "I See Me," we see a woman looking in the mirror.
When you look in the mirror, you see yourself. The beauty you see is a reflection of yourself. The mirror shows most of your appearance, and that's why I titled it "I See Me", because beauty is always visible through the mirror.
"Protection" is an unusual piece for you because you typically use a homogeneous background, but there is a very expressive, painterly layer in this case.
The artwork featuring a woman with a child and an umbrella was part of an exhibition at a gallery in our country. The theme of the show focused on the importance of women. My artwork reflects the negativity and positivity surrounding us, represented through abstract art and colors. For example, the color blue symbolizes loyalty. The umbrella in the artwork represents protection, as mothers protect their children from harmful external influences such as rain, sun, and other adversities in the world.
How do you spend the day as an artist?
The art scene in Ghana is challenging for artists like me. People often don't appreciate or respect the work we do. It's hard to showcase our art to the world and get the recognition we deserve. Social media platforms like Instagram are helpful, but it's still very difficult in Ghana. It's tough, especially when my family doesn't always support my career choice. They believe I should pursue more traditional and stable jobs. However, I believe it's important to follow my passion and keep creating art, even when it's difficult. I keep going, I paint every day, I make three paintings in a week but sometimes I have to find a job as well because art supplies are very expensive here.