What You Need to Know: The Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, is currently hosting a sweeping retrospective of Ghanaian artist Kojo Marfo, “Crucible of Hope,” produced by JD Malat Gallery of London. The gallery has been working with Marfo since discovering his work during the Covid-19 pandemic, and since their initial collaboration, the artist’s work shown internationally—from New York to Mexico, Miami to St. Moritz. On view through September 15, 2024, the venue, which was designed by renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, frames Marfo’s vibrant oeuvre and allows for an entirely new audience to become familiar with his work. The opening of the exhibition took place in mid-February and welcomed more than 600 attendees, both Marfo and gallerist Jean-David Malat gave talks that contextualized the occasion.
About the Artist: Originally from Ghana, Kojo Marfo (b. 1980) moved to London as a teenager, where he continues to live and work today. Drawing from the visual culture of both the Akan people—with whom he was immersed as a young person—as well as from Western influences, Marfo has developed a singular painting practice recognized for its otherworldly aesthetic and meticulous rendering. Synthesizing graphic compositional elements with a dynamic color palette, Marfo’s work contains elements of narrative as well as universal human emotion—which he discussed in an interview with Artnet News last year. On his work and practice, Marfo said, “I want people to see my work as a reflection of my Akan culture and my struggles living in the West. I want my artwork to create a connection with people, to be a symbol for everyone to relate to. No matter what you are going through, or where you live, I want my art to help people think and reflect on their inner lives and how it relates to the wider world.”
Why We Like It: Following the solo exhibition of the same name at JD Malat Gallery in London in 2023, the present iteration of “Crucible of Hope” further exemplifies the boundary and border crossing resonance that Marfo’s work is able to achieve. Featuring a diverse range of works that illustrate his unique approach to figuration, which draws heavily from Akan iconography and material culture, the themes engaged throughout tap into facets of collective human experience and psyche. Staged in the monumental Heydar Aliyev Centre grants the opportunity to experience Marfo’s works in a wholly new environment, and thus explore new cultural dialogues both within the show and extending far beyond the walls of the gallery space. Including pieces dating from 2014 through today, the exhibition further highlights the artistic evolution Marfo has undergone in his career over the past decade.
