Alfred Nii Addo
Inspired by my cultural heritage and environment, I tell the stories I grew up with to the rest of the world through my artworks. The similari<es and difference that makes embracing our common humanity.
My use of sawdust and waste materials is indica<ve of my love for the environment and my advocacy for ecofriendly use of the earth that we live in. Even though my Art cannot capture enough waste materials to change the world, its irrefutable role as a thought provoker is far more important. I set out to make a statement with my unique pieces to inspire others to take care of our environment whilst apprecia<ng our cultural diversity.
Passionate about the environment and the sustainability of I have over the years perfected a way of recycling wood waste to produce my Art pieces. I came into contact with sawdust as a child when by father also an ar<st will take me along to the sawmill to get wood for his work where I played with sawdust playing sand castle with. My background in science in high school encouraged me to experiment with sawdust exploring my ar<s<c talent with this unique medium. The final look of my work which has a metallic finish is a process of mixing treated sawdust and adhesives that I recycle also from waste packaging materials. The sawdust I source freely from the saw mills. Unlike many developed countries where a lot of the sawdust is recycled, in Ghana it is usually burned into the atmosphere or leG around in dumps crea<ng a lot of pollu<on to the local environment. AGer drawing my design on a thin board, I cut out the board with a band saw and jigsaws. With the design intricately cut out I apply a layer of adhesives to the cut the figure. I then sculpt the figure out in there dimension with sawdust adhesive mix using special metal and wood pallets that I constructed myself to suit my work. This then goes through a series of baking processes in a kiln to harden un<l I achieve the desired effect necessary to start applying base pigments, and then the metallic pigment. AGer the applying the metallic gold and copper pigments, I then glaze it with more heat to imbed the pigments firmly to the work. Other metallic pigments are also added to add bits of color where necessary. This is a process that I have developed and perfected over the years and unique to me I paint mixed media pieces, which was a hobby for relaxing between breaks from my sculpture work. In <me I had accumulated a vast number of works with so much admira<on from many Collectors. I started professionally exhibi<ng them with great success interna<onally, making me a successful mul<disciplinary ar<st. I use my recycled materials, very fine sawdust and resins to give texture to my pain<ngs and bring them to life. I am inspired by my environment. Exploring African cultures and how it interplays with the global environment. How our past cultures relate to modern day lives. Capturing the present to preserve history. My works are contemporary Afrocentric abstract and semi abstract pieces. I have depicted musical themes both indigenous African music to Jazz and Opera. Captured the African wildlife, different indigenous African cultures. I have also developed contemporary abstract pieces which is enjoying a lot of interna<onal success