LOS ANGELES — Nestled within the bustling energy of Hollywood, Amoako Boafo’s I Bring Home With Me at Roberts Projects offers a contemplative escape. This latest exhibition by the Vienna-based artist presents an immersive experience rooted in his Accra, Ghana, heritage. Through 22 portraits, including two self-portraits, Boafo employs his signature technique of finger-painted collages instead of traditional brushwork, capturing the essence of individuals and their cultural contexts. The works serve as a visual narrative of identity, memory, and belonging.
This show marks several milestones for Boafo’s American audience. It is the first time he has integrated embroidery into his portraiture, enhancing the tactile dimension of his subjects. More significantly, it represents his inaugural collaboration with Glenn DeRoche of DeRoche Projects, an Accra-based architecture and design firm. The installation features a scaled replica of Boafo’s Accra studio within the gallery space. Originally planned to use Ghanaian teakwood, logistical challenges led to the use of locally sourced plywood painted black. During my visits—first during the press preview and then 12 days later—the atmosphere evolved. Over time, the gallery exuded a distinct wooden aroma, offering a sensory connection to the artist’s origins and altering how the work was experienced.
The DeRoche-designed structure not only replicates Boafo’s studio but also functions as a communal space, complete with a family table area adorned with playing cards featuring his artwork and a seating area draped in fabric printed with earlier pieces. A looping audio piece titled “A Living Space,” by Ghanaian poet Yielu, enhances the immersive environment. Visitors can explore books on Boafo’s artistic influences, both local and global, reinforcing the invitation to linger and engage deeply with the exhibition.
Boafo’s method of painting with his fingers introduces a physicality that mirrors the spatial experience of the installation. When rendering facial features and skin tones, the tactile nature of his process amplifies the human presence in each portrait. Just as our identities are shaped by physical and social environments, Boafo’s work emerges through a similar act of embodiment. His use of blues, blacks, browns, and grays, applied via fingertip strokes, evokes the complex vibrancy of deep skin tones. This handcrafted approach makes the exhibition title resonate more profoundly, underscoring the emotional and cultural weight of home and belonging.
The exhibition is dominated by powerful depictions of women, whose presence radiates strength and purpose. These portraits reflect the resilience and dedication required to create safe spaces, transforming simple rooms into community hubs. Boafo appears to celebrate the feminine role in homemaking, whether through his own self-portraits or those of others. Each piece conveys a deliberate act of welcoming, fostering a sense of belonging. One particularly striking piece, “Floral Shirt,” seemed to observe me while I settled into the living room, her 3D-like skin and voluminous hair creating a vivid, almost lifelike presence. As I looked around, I encountered a wall of seven other women, each meeting my gaze and acknowledging my presence within their world.
This exploration of homemaking resonates deeply with those from diasporic backgrounds. Whether by choice or necessity, the act of recreating home is a universal theme. Boafo bridges continents and cultures, translating his roots onto canvas. The exhibition invites viewers to step into his home and engage with the people who shape his identity.
Amoako Boafo: I Bring Home With Me continues at Roberts Projects (442 South La Brea Avenue, Hancock Park, Los Angeles) through March 21. The exhibition was organized by the gallery.