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Hayford Okyere is a prolific painter, whose output of work is quite unique.
Born in September 1952, he spent his academic years in Ghana. Afroshe, as he is popularly known, started drawing at a very tender age. After elementary school, he attended Accra School of Art and Ghanatta College of Art, completing his course with Grade 1 at A-level and a Diploma in Art in 1973.
He worked with Ghanatta Studios from1974 to 1976 in Graphic Art and book illustration. For many years, he was the sole illustrator for the Christian Mothers' Association of Ghana.
In 1985 he moved to Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). He currently lives and works in Grand-Bassam, where he has his workshop just opposite La Nouvelle CIE. |
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Exhibitions:
- 1980 Greater Accra Festivals, Accra, Ghana
- 1984 Young Artists of Lavadi, Accra, Ghana
- 1985 O.A.U. Fair, Lomé, Togo
- 1986 Bonn, Germany
- 1986 INDOTECH, Accra, Ghana
- 1986 Faloma Shopping Centre, Lagos, Nigeria
- 1992 Grand Concours de Création Artistique, Bonoua, Côte d'Ivoire (won first place with another Ghanaian artist friend)
- 1993 American Embassy (two times), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- 1998 Galerie Fara Fina, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 1999 Copenhagen, Denmark
- 1999 Oslo, Norway
He hopes to exhibit in the United States in the very near future.
Represented in France many times. Here the selection Committee of International Award for Export in conjunction with the Trade Leaders Club awarded him for his contribution to export activity with France.
He is particularly grateful to M. Per Jorgensen, Director of A.P. Moller through Maersk Régional Office in Abidjan, to her Excellency Mrs Liliane Marie-Laure Boa, Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire in Denmark, and to the Consulate of Denmark in Côte d'Ivoire for giving him the opportunity to exhibit for the first time in Denmark. He is grateful to Mr. Bath Niava, and the entire CAK team for accepting and accommodating him in Oslo, Norway. Also, he is especially grateful to Mr. Yaw Boakye Ghannatta and Mr. Amon Kotéi, both renowned Ghanaian artists for giving him the needed foundation in his college days.
"I see women as custodians, symbols of African tradition and rich culture, hence the nature of my choice of figures: mainly feminine." |
