George Afedzi Hughes
George Afedzi Hughes, is a Ghanaian-born American artist specializing in painting, poetry, and performance art.
Early life den education
[edit | edit source]Na dem born George Afedzi Hughes for December 23, 1962, insyd Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, to George Hughes, a journalist den public relations officer for de Takoradi City Council, den Cecilia Hughes, a petty trader. Hughes go high school at Ghana National College, wey he study painting at The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, College of Art (1985–1991), wey earn am a BA degree insyd Painting den Drawing insyd 1989 den MA insyd Art Education in 1992.
Hughes live insyd London, England, from 1991 to 1993 wey he relocate to de United States insyd 1994, he receive ein MFA insyd Painting from Bowling Green State University insyd Bowling Green, Ohio, insyd 2001.
Work
[edit | edit source]Na dem exhibit Hughes ein paintings den performance artworks internationally across Europe, Africa, Asia, den America. Ein work dey reference de violence den tragedy of colonialism juxtapose plys contemporary global conflicts.
Common motifs insyd ein paintings dey include recontextualized language, dem commonly see signs den symbols, nods to pop culture, den references to Hughes ein cultural background.
Ein performance artworks be interdisciplinary, dem combine ritual, metaphor, poetry, sound effects, video, den allegorical configurations.
Current den ongoing projects dey include Hughes ein series of painted assemblages, "Puzzle Pieces" den ein series of video interviews plus oda artists, "Focus".
He be represented by de Skoto Gallery insyd New York City, NY, Artco Kunstagentur GmbH, insyd Herzogenrath, Germany, den Artists Alliance Gallery, insyd Accra, Ghana.
Na de Burchfield Penney Art Center, de Royal Ontario Museum, de Harn Museum of Art, de National Museum of Ghana, den Iwalewahaus collect Hughes ein work.
Career
[edit | edit source]Na Hughes ein first teaching position be he dey teach English Literature at Sekondi College insyd Sekondi, Ghana from 1982 to 1984 as part of ein national service to Ghana. Afterwards, he teach art at St. John's School, Sekondi from 1984 to 1985. From 1997 to 2000, Hughes teach Drawing as an adjunct instructor at de University of Toledo. Hughes then work as an Assistant Professor of Painting for de School of Art at de University of Oklahoma insyd Norman, OK, from 2001 to 2006. He currently dey reside insyd Buffalo, NY, wer he dey work for de Art Department at de State University of New York at Buffalo as de Director of Undergraduate Studies, Program Head of Painting, den Associate Professor.
Na Hughes be Artist-in-residence at chaw schools, art centers, den museums insyd de United States, Canada, de United Kingdom, den Europe. Dese dey include de Örebro Art College at Örebro University insyd Sweden, de Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MACM) insyd Quebec, den de Queen's University Belfast insyd Northern Ireland.