General News of Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2021-08-25
The artwork created by Amoako Boafo to be launched in space
Celebrated artist Amoako Boafo is on the brink of history to become the first Ghanaian to have his artwork launched into space, according to a report by Uplift Aerospace.
His works of art known as the Suborbital Triptych consists of three panels of a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket ship that will be launching on a roundtrip mission to space on Thursday, August 26.
The project which is an initiative to propel unique works of art into the stratosphere is part of a partnership between the Jeff Bezos–founded aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin and the new art programme at Uplift Aerospace, curated by its founder, Jill Clark.
Boafo’s Triptych, according to the report is named Self Portrait with Pink Tulips (2021), Shormeh’s Gold Earrings (2021) and White and Gold Head Wrap (2021).
The painting contains intimate portraits, including his mother; the mother of his childhood friend and international artist, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe; as well as himself.
Amoako Boafo painted on the top of the crew capsule on the main chute covers of the spaceship.
“A self-portrait looking up to the skies best explains what this project means to me. I grew up knowing the sky was the limit and now I get to work on a project that goes beyond the sky as we know it. This signifies what is possible when creatives like myself are given the chance to not only break the glass ceiling but go above it,” he is quoted as saying on e-flux.com.
The space launch has been scheduled at 8:35 am CDT (1PM GMT).
Background
Amoako Boafo was born and raised in Accra in 1984. After losing his father at a young age and living with his mother who was a cook, he taught himself to paint although he never intended to be an artist.
Now based in Vienna, Austria Boafo has risen to be among the highly regarded artists showcasing contemporary art of the African Diaspora, challenging the narrative as well as shaping perceptions of Black forms.
He is a product of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and in 2017 was recognized with the jury prize of Austria’s prestigious Walter Koschatzky Art-Award.