In captivating new portraits for ‘Beyond Skin’, Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey explores fashion as identity and subverts antiquated ideas of gender and sexuality Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey is hot off the back of Desert X in Palm Springs, where he staged acomprising yellow plastic jerry cans, used to transport water in Ghana. Now, he is presenting a new body of work in ‘Beyond Skin’, a solo show currently on view at Simchowitz Gallery, Los Angeles.
Inspired by mid-century black and white photography originating from the coast of West Africa, Clottey’s works update the visual language of historical images and transports them into the present day.Working with a wide array of materials, including duct tape, cork and collages made from posters in dressmaking shops, Clottey combines a dynamic energy with a variety of cultural influences.
He continues, ‘I’m always looking at how materials can significantly influence a work, and how it fits in the ideas I explore to create a shared understanding. I’ve always been inspired by alternative fashion and styling; one that is created by the individuals who wear them, and the media they use in sharing these creations.
The result is an uplifting array of work that recognises the past while reframing it for the present. Duct tape, a crude and at times violent tool, has been reclaimed as a symbol of strength and protection when tracing the body of Clottey’s subjects. His use of cork as a canvas also alludes to the use of notice boards back in his hometown as a means of communication and conveyance.
Steeped in meaning, while still charged with visual energy, the works invite viewers to delve beneath the surface. §
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