Installation photo credit: Brica Wilcox
Opening Reception: Saturday, July 19, 4 – 6 pm

Vielmetter Los Angeles is excited to announce Be Your Own Cool, an exhibition of new works by Ghanaian artist Kwesi Botchway. On view from July 19th to September 13th, this exhibition marks Botchway’s second solo presentation with the gallery.

This recent series of paintings was created during a focused residency in Los Angeles earlier this spring and represents a shift in both scale and mood. Botchway, known for his vivid portrayals of Black identity infused with psychological depth and vibrant colors, adopts an introspective approach in this body of work.

The paintings in Be Your Own Cool are contemplative offerings that nurture the individuality of each subject while evoking a sense of intimacy. Each figure is portrayed in moments of reflection and stillness, characterized by subtle brushstrokes and a sense of resonance. These portraits invite viewers to engage closely with the subjects, set against soft pastel backgrounds that inspire feelings of tranquility, sensitivity, and empowerment. Also included in the exhibition is a group of fifteen diminutive paintings entitled community of freedom fighters, which, for the artist, captures and acknowledges individuals whose actions and ideologies have helped shape a sense of community.

In Be Your Own Cool, Botchway continues to evolve his signature style, where realism and stylization intersect, while also deepening the emotional complexity of Black portraiture. His use of rich tones and nuanced expressions allows his subjects to stand out against tranquil backgrounds dramatically. Each figure is presented not just as a muse, but also as a symbol of quiet dignity. By juxtaposing contemporary styles with a classical sense of fashion, these paintings emphasize Black individuals and their unique choices in hairstyles, clothing, and personal flair. These details intentionally reflect cultural identity and celebrate the evolution and significance of contemporary Black life.

Kwesi Botchway (b. 1994, Accra, Ghana) lives and works in Accra and Belgium. Botchway is the founder of Worldfaze Art Practice, a contemporary art studio and residency based in Accra that supports emerging Ghanaian artists and fosters experimental practices in art. He studied art at the Ghanatta College of Art and Design in Accra before enrolling at the Academy of Visual Arts in Frankfurt, Germany. Over the past decade, Botchway has exhibited his paintings internationally and held solo exhibitions in Denmark, Ghana, the UK, Belgium, and the United States. His work is included in such collections as the Arsenal Art Centre in Canada, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL, National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne, Vanhaerents Art Collection, Belgium, Schulting Art Collection, The Netherlands, the Israel Museum in Tel Aviv, Israel, The Bunker Collection and Tia Collection.