Kofi Agorsor completed Ankle College of Art in Accra in 1989. This is after few year stint studying architecture. He was born in the Volta region of Ghana. Agorsor works predominantly in painting, Sculpture and Music.
In his paintings, Agorsor uses pulsating colors that become an interpretation of the essence of lived experiences of modern Africa. His subject matter borders on the generic but rendered often in a buoyant, semi-abstract and witty manner. His canvases may be sparsely populated; often with a solitary figure in a sensuous pose, two lovers enjoying the presence of each other or they may be very populated, inhabited by crowds of market women or glitterati at events. Some of the canvases may be encumbered with splashes, drips and flows of paint that intertwine to become forests or mazes of enchantment. His sculptures are an embodiment of spontaneous orderliness.
Agorsor is also a musician and a member of the Afro-world band called “AGORSOR. An engagement with his musical work, just like his art work, is very rewarding. It often reflects the energetic subtleties of the collective of musicians he has worked with over time. Recently he has been spending a lot of time in the recording studio with his band. Inspired by both the natural and supernatural worlds, Agorsor’s art and music inspires publics greatly.
Kofi Agorsor (Artist’s Statement)
I waged war into the spiritual kingdom. On my return, I became positively sound, and sleepy. The most interesting part of it was that it lasted only 17 minutes. On the soil of Ghana, I had a dream. When I woke up, I found myself permanently in Gagahuli, Ouida, in the Republic of Benin.
This is how art is for me. It is a constant battle between the material and the spiritual. To be an artist doesn’t just mean painting, playing music, sculpting or even acting, it also means opening up to such ideas as preserving and developing one’s spiritual cultural heritage into Science and Technology.
My work is generally about love and affection; about simple everyday situations like relationships, music, religion and being at peace with one’s self and the world at large. Some people have said that my work has characteristics that can be likened to a European or American’s interpretation of African life. Some would say it is the work of an African, interpreting the contemporary concerns of my age. Yet others will also say my work is universal. I feel very universal.
I am always
happy as an artist. Art makes me see both in the physical and the spiritual.
The purpose of art then is about brightening the corner where you are.
The purpose of art is to be sound in mind, body and soul. It’s not about what
others are doing or what someone decided.
Art does not depend on someone prescribing a mainstream system. Art is
freedom.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1990 – “OURA” NOVOTEL HOTEL, ACCRA – GHANA
1993 – NOVOTEL HOTEL, ACCRA-GHANA
1993 – SIGNATURE GALLERY, ABUJA-NIGERIA
1996 – GATOBAR, LOME -TOGO
1997 – SIGNATURE GALLERY, LAGOS – NIGERIA
1998 – MANY MOUTHS TO FEED, ALLIANCE FRANCAIS, ACCRA – GHANA
2000 – THE AGORSOR: THE PAINTER – PLAYER – GOLDEN TULIP – GHANA
2003 – TOTAL FINA ELF NIAMEY AND CCFN, NIAMEY – NIGER
2004 – FIMA NIAMEY CCFN, NIAMEY- NIGER
2004 – THE BISCUIT FACTORY,
NEWCASTLE – UK
2004 – AGORSOR THE PAINTER PLAYER, GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL, ACCRA – GHANA
2005 – ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE, ACCRA -GHANA
2005 – AGORSOR – HOTEL BERCHTOLD, BURGDORF – SWITZERLAND
2008 – MY MOTHER, NOVOTEL HOTEL, COTONOU- BENIN
2010 – AGORSOR IN LUSAKA, ALLIANCE FRANCAISE, ZAMBIA
2011 – “TOTOBIETO” (INTO THE DEPTHS OF LIGHTNESS, DARKNESS AND THE SPACES IN – BETWEEN.) ESSAY BY BERNARD AKOI-JACSON. ACCRA, GHANA.
2013 – “ETERNAL FEELING” BAGINSKAYA GALLERY AND STUDIO. DUBAI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATE
2014 – “I SING INTO THE COSMOS” ART PLACE INTERPRED-WORLD TRADE CENTRE, SOFIA – BULGARIA
2014 – “COLOURS IN WATER” AN EXHIBITION OF WATER COLOURS,
SOFIA – BULGARIA.
2015 – “THIS IS LOVE” BAGINSKAYA GALLERY AND STUDIO, DUBAI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATE
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1990 – INNER EXPRESSIONS, GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL, GHANA
1995 – OF MINES AND MEN ,NATIONAL
THEATRE , GHANA
1996 – AGORSOR AND TULLY, ALLIANCE
FRANCES, GHANA
1998 – ARTE FIERA, BOLOGNA – ITALY
1998 – GALERIE DAUPHIN, SINGAPORE
1999 – ART EXPO 98, LOS ANGELES
– U.S.A.
2003 – BETTENDORFF’SCHE GALERIE,
HEIDELBERG – GERMANY
2003 – FRESH ART SHOW, LONDON- UK
2004 – BLACK HISTORY
MONTH, ALLIANCE FRANCAIS, GHANA
2004 – CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS,
REGUS BUILDING, CHIPSWICK, LONDON – UK
2004 – CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS, BUSINESS PARK, LONDON – UK
2005 – CONTEMPORARY COLOURS II,
FITZROY SQUARE – LONDON
2006 – WOHN-ART INGOLD, ROHRBACH
-SWITZERLAND
2006 – DIVERSE COLOUR I, MAYFAIR ZIZI
GALLERY, SHEPHARD MARKET, LONDON – UK
2006 – SLIDES OF COLOURS, OSO
ARTS CENTER, BARNES LONDON – UK
2006 – DIVERSE COLOURS
II, FITZROY SQUARE, LONDON – UK
2007 – FIRST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITION AND LIFE AUCTION, GENEVA – SWITZERLAND
2007 – CONCENTRATION, NOVOTEL HOTEL, ACCRA -GHANA
2007 – CONCENTRATION, GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL, ACCRA -GHANA
2007 – ANANSI MASTERS,TROPEN MUSEUM – HOLLAND
2007 – RHYTHMS OF LIFE, OSO ARTS
CENTER, BARNES, LONDON – UK
2007-2008 TRAVEL TO THE AFRICAN
MUSUEM, BERGENDAL – NETHERLANDS
2008 – 2009 AFRICA/NOW: CONTEMPORARY ART FROM AFRICA – NORWAY
2009 – AFRICA/NOW: CONTEMPORARY ART
FROM AFRICA, TAMPARE MUSEUM – FINLAND
2009 – AFRICA/NOW:
CONTEMPORARY ART FROM
AFRICA, COPENHAGEN – DENMARK
2009 – ART IN THE GARDEN WITH FRED
SPINNLER (CATALOGUE LAUNCH) SWITZERLAND EMBASSY – GHANA
2009 – WORLD CLASS CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS, THE HAYLOFT COURTYARDS, 3 BOND STREET, CHIPSWICK, LONDON- UK
2009 – RENDEZVOUS EXHIBITION AND ARTISTS MEET , NUBUKE FOUNDATION, GHANA.
2010 – FIFA FINEART, SOUTH AFRICA
2010 – WORLD CLASS CONTEMPORARY
PAINTINGS, THE AFRICA CENTER, LONDON – UK
2010 – PAUSE THE PULSE: PORTRAIT OF
ACCRA, ACC GALERIE, WEIMAR – GERMANY
2010 – PAUSE THE PULSE-THE PORTRAIT
OF ACCRA, ACC GALERIE, WEIMAR – GERMANY
2011 – 3+3. 3 ARTISTS FROM DENMARK,
3 ARTISTS FROM GHANA, GALLERY GOFS – DENMARK
2011 – “MUNYU” MATTERS ARISING .ESSAY BY BERNARD AKOI-JACKSON. ACCRA GHANA
2012 – ACROSS THE VOLTA TO THE NIGER. ACCRA GHANA
2012 – PEACE SPLASH “THE ARTIST VOICE FOR THE PEACE OF MOTHER GHANA” . ACCRA GHANA
2012 – GALLERIE BENEDICT “KUNSTREFF SONNENFELSGASSE ” VIENNA – AUSTRIA
2013 – GHANA CONTEMPORARY “ KALEIDOSCOPE” ACCRA – GHANA
2013 – CELEBRATING ACCRA AND TWENTY YEARS OF THE ARTIST ALLIANCE, ACCRA – GHANA
2013 – OREZE (THE KING’S CROWD) ONITSHA – NIGERIA
2013 – “SPORT LIGHTING ARTIST OF THE ALLIANCE” THE ARTIST ALLIANCE GALLERY, ACCRA-GHANA.
2014 – GALERIE GOFS “Mød verden på Gofs” – DENMARK
2015 – GALERIE MY TRUNK Dansk fjernvarme Merkurvej , DENMARK
2015 – “AFROFEST 2015” SAINT PETERSBURG & MOSCOW RUSSIA.
2015 – GALERIE MY TRUNK , Dupont Art association (Bio Science Company) Aarhus, DENMARK
2015 – GALERIE MY TRUNK ,, Marel Art Association (Seafood Company) Aarhus N, DENMARK
2015 – GALERIE MY TRUNK Godsbanen, Skovgaardsgade Aarhus C, DENMARK
2015 – The State Library, GALERIE MY TRUNK, Victor Albecks Vej Århus C, DENMARK
2015 – The Church in Paarup Solgårdsvej 40, 5210Odense NV,GALERIE MY TRUNK, DENMARK
2015 – Cowi Art Association (Economic Adwice Center) GALERIE MY TRUNK,Jens Chr. Skous Vej 9, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
2015 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, ANA Art association (The University in Aarhus) Aarhus C, DENMARK
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, The City Hall in Vejen -Rådhuspassagen 3. 6600 Vejen, DENMARK
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, Kolding Hospital – Skovvangen 2-8, 6000 Kolding, DENMARK
2016
– GALERIE MY TRUNK,
SPX Flow Technology – Pasteursvej 1
8600 Silkeborg,DENMARK
2016 – Tetra Pak (company) -GALERIE MY TRUNK – Søren Nymarks Vej 13 .8270 Højbjerg,DENMARK
2016 – High School in Egmont –GALERIE MY TRUNK – Villavej 25, Hov -8300
Odder,DENMARK2016 – Ministry
of Environment,GALERIE MY TRUNK Strandgade 29, 1401 Copenhagen, DENMARK2016 – Art
Society in Hammel – The
Culturehouse:GALERIE MY TRUNK, InSide, Dalvej 1, 8450 Hammel, Denmark.
2016 – “Music and African Paints” Sheremetev’s
Palace Museum of Music Fontanka Staint. Petersburg, Russia.
2016 – “Bright colours of Africa”, Trade Fair
Center –Kosmonavtov Highway, Perm city ,Russia.
2016 –
GALERIE MY TRUNK, The City
Hall in Silkeborg – 8600 Silkeborg,DENMARK2016
– GALERIE MY TRUNK Landowners’
Investment Company (GI) – Ny Kongensgade 15, 1472 Copenhagen K, DENMARK2016
– GALERIE MY TRUNK -3F -Denmark’s largest trade union – Kampmannsgade 4 1790, Gallery My
Trunk, Copenhagen V, DENMARK
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK -Expedit, Toftegaardsvej 4 ,8370 Gallery My Trunk- Hadsten, DENMARK
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, Telia (
Headquarter of the phone company), Holmbladsgade 139 2300- Copenhagen,
DENMARK
2016 – Deliotte (Investment company) – Weidekamsgade 62300 GALERIE MY TRUNK – Copenhagen, DENMARK
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, Horsens Cityhall, 8700 Horsens, Denmark
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense, Denmark
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, Vejle Hospital, 7100 Vejle, Denmark
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK, NEA Energy, Skelagervej 1, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
2016 – Cowi Odense, Ingeneering Company, GALERIE MY TRUNK, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
2016 -Holstebro Hospital, GALERIE MY TRUNK, Hospitalsenhed Vest Lægårdvej 12, 7500 Holstebro, Denmark
2016 – Codan Aarhus, Insurance Company, GALERIE MY TRUNK, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
2016 – Vejle Cityhall, GALERIE MY TRUNK, 7100 Vejle, Denmark
2016 – Farsoe Hospital, GALERIE MY TRUNK, 9640 Farsø, Denmark
2016 “Music and African Paints” Sheremetev’s Palace Museum of Music Fontanka Staint. Petersburg, Russia.
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK ,Expedit, Toftegaardsvej 4 ,8370 Hadsten, Denmark
2016 – 3F -Denmark’s largest trade union, GALERIE MY TRUNK – Kampmannsgade 4 1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
2016 -Landowners’ Investment Company (GI) GALERIE MY TRUNK – Ny Kongensgade 15, 1472 Copenhagen K, Denmark
2016 – GALERIE MY TRUNK ,Unilab, Nygårdsvej 32 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
2016 – Semco Maritime, International Communication Company, GALERIE MY TRUNK ,6700 Esbjerg, Denmark
2016 – FTF,
Danish Union, GALERIE MY TRUNK
Niels Hemmingsens Gade 12, 1010 Copenhagen, Denmark
2016 : “Africa-Peter Festival”: “Bright colours of
Africa”, , the international exhibition of fine art “ART-PERM”, Perm city,
Russia (Diploma).
2016 – “Bright colours of Africa”,
Trade Fair Center – Kosmonavtov Highway, Perm city ,Russia.
2016 – NEW THREADS, SMO CONTEMPORARY
ART, LAGOS – NIGERIA.
2017 – GATINGO ART Festival: “EDIKANFO”, Theater named after
Raikina, CDC Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russia
2017 – “EDIKANFO”, the international exhibition of fine art “ART-RUSSIA”,
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (Diploma).
2018 – “A F R I C A”, Gatingo Art Gallery and Gorartist Gallery , St.
Petersburg, Russia
2018 – 26th International Festival of Arts “MASTER CLASS”, St. Petersburg,
Russia (catalog pages 176-177)
2018 .. Shika Shika Art fair/chale Wote
Festival, Accra – Ghana.
2019 – “A F R I C A. GATINGO ART”, Russia-Africa Summit, Sochi,
Zimniy Theater, Russia
2019
– Shika Shika Art fair/chale Wote Festival, Accra – Ghana.
2020 – “GATINGO ART. From the ARCTIC to AFRICA”, the
international exhibition of fine art “Poneaili”, CEC Expoforum, St.
Petersburg (Diploma)
2020 – “GATINGO ART. A F R I C A”, State Academic Capella, St.
Petersburg, Russia (Diploma)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- SPINNLER, F. AND ADEYEMI E., 1995 – 2005. ZEITGENOSSISCHE KUNST –NIGERIA & GHANA / CONTEMPORARY ART IN NIGERIA & GHANA, FRIEDRICH REINHARDT VERLAG, SWITZERLAND. (pp. 256- 260.)
- 1998 ARTISTI CONTEMPORANEI DEL GHANA –PITTURA , SCULTURA, CERAMICA(CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS FROM GHANA –PAINTING, SCULPTURE, CERAMICS), ARTE FIERA PAD.32B4, BOLOGNA ,ITALY .(EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,p.10)
- HERE AND NOW- NIGERIAN ART MEETS GHANAIAN ART, ESSAYS BY OLUWATOSIN ONILE-ERE ROTIMI AND WEMEGA-KWAWU, R., IROKO ART CONSULTANTS LTD., NIGERIA, 2010 .(EXHIBITION CATALOGUE ,p2)
- AFRICA /NOW : CONTEMPORARY ART FROM AFRICA 2008 – 2009.TINE THORUP ART, DENMARK. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE, pp. 26-27).
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MODERN
- ”TOTOBIETO” (INTO THE DEPTHS OF LIGHTNESS, DARKNESS AND THE SPACES IN- BETWEEN.) ESSAY BY BERNARD AKOI-JACSON. ACCRA, GHANA. 2011. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE)
- ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY LTD. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
ART.LAGOS, NIGERIA.2011.( AUCTION CATALOGUE,p26,,,,BACK COVER LOT# 28)
- “MUNYU” MATTERS ARISING .ESSAY BY BERNARD AKOI-JACKSON. ACCRA GHANA , 2011
.(EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,P7)
- BONHAMS/AFRICA NOW , LONDON 2012.( AUCTION CATALOGUE,P88 ,,,,LOT # 183)
ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY LTD. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
ART. LAGOS, NIGERIA, 2012. ( AUCTION CATALOGUE,p101 )
- ACROSS THE VOLTA TO THE NIGER. ACCRA GHANA ,2012. ( EXHIBITION CATALOGUE, P 6-9)
- PEACE
SPLASH “THE ARTIST
VOICE FOR THE
PEACE OF MOTHER
GHANA” . ACCRA GHANA
2012. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE ,
P 21)
GHANA CONTEMPORARY “ KALEIDOSCOPE” ACCRA -GHANA,2013 ( EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,P 41- 47) - “ORAKWUE” LET THE WHOLE WORLD TALK. LAGOS – NIGERIA , 2013. ( EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,P 14)
- ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY LTD. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
ART. LAGOS, NIGERIA, 2013. ( AUCTION CATALOGUE,p42–44 )
. OREZE (THE KING’S CROWD) ONITSHA – NIGERIA,2013. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE, p22)
. “ETERNAL FEELING” BAGINSKAYA GALLERY AND STUDIO, DUBAI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, 2013. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE)
- ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY LTD. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
ART. LAGOS, NIGERIA, 2014. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,p40)
“I SING INTO THE COSMOS” AN EXHIBITION OF SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS, ART PLACE INTERPRED-WORLD TRADE CENTRE,SOFIA – BULGARIA ,2014 “EXHIBITION CATALOGUE”
- ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY LTD. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
ART. LAGOS, NIGERIA, 2014. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE,p109)
- AN AFRICAN DECADE ACCRA – GHANA, 2014. (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE , pgs 15-18)
- NEW THREADS, LAGOS – NIGERIA. CURATED BY SANDRA MBANEFO OBIAGO. 2016, (EXHIBITON CATALOGUE pg,, 24-31)
- 2018 – 26th International Festival of Arts “MASTER CLASS”, St. Petersburg, Russia (catalog pages 176-177)
