Atta Kwami

Annan Affotey

Annan Affotey

Atta Kwami

Atta Kwami was born in Accra, Ghana in 1956, studying painting at the University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and later earning a PhD in art history from the Open University, Milton Keynes, England in 2007. Kwami is best known for his abstract artworks rooted in the vibrant urban landscape of Kumasi, with the patterns in his paintings informed by the creations of local street artists seen on kiosks, storefronts, billboards, and murals, as well as the traditional 'kente' cloth of the Asante people of Ghana. Listen to his story here or read the full biography on the BURU: https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/atta-kwami- [https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/atta-kwami-]

Emefa Cole

Emefa Cole was born to a Ga mother and an Ewe and Ga-Dangbe father in Sunyani, West-Central Ghana in 1979, and immigrated to London with her family aged 12. Having studied jewellery making in London, she has now established a successful and progressive brand in the UK, dedicated to experimental yet wearable art. In 2022 she was appointed the V&A's first curator of diaspora jewellery. Listen to her story here or read the full biography on the BURU: https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/emefa-cole [https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/emefa-cole]

Godfried Donkor

Godfried Donkor was born in Kumasi, Ghana in 1964, moving to London, England in 1973. He completed a a BA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins (1984–89) and subsequently attended postgraduate courses in  Spain, before completing an MA in African Art History at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London (1995). Donkor is best known for his collages exploring the socio-historical relationship between Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean in which a recurring theme is the relationship between boxing and the slave trade. Listen to his story here or read the full biography on the BURU: https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/godfried-donkor [https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/godfried-donkor]

James Barnor

James Barnor was born in Accra, Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1929. He established Ever Young, his first studio, in 1953, producing iconic portraits that captured a nation striving for modernity and independence. He moved to England in 1959 to study colour photography at the Colour Processing Laboratories (CPL) in Edenbridge in Kent and then enrolled at Medway College of Art in Rochester. Barnor is now recognised as a major figure in contemporary African photography. Listen to his story here or read the full biography on the BURU: https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/james-barnor [https://www.buru.org.uk/contributor/james-barnor]