Patrick Turkson Fine Artist Portfolio

Patrick Turkson (1978) -- Fine Art

Artist Profile

Patrick Tagoe

Patrick Tagoe-Turkson

Patrick Tagoe-Turkson was born in the Effutu State of Winneba, Ghana. His background as an Effutu Asafo Militia and quest for a personal voice as an artist over the years has drawn him to the historical visual traditional flag art of his native Effutuland.

With this he creates a new form of visual communication by blending concepts form his traditional flag art practice with other contemporary visual expressions. His work reveals a passion for change in society.

"For this reason, my art addresses issues of social concern. I successfully fuse drawing, painting performance and sculpture... This uncompromising approach to my art gives me the chance to stay loose in my expression to speak to a vast and complex audience," he says.

“Most art expressions that have no spiritual base can be said to be transient to some extent. It is mostly those that are deep and touch the life and soul of its audience that will endure”

Turkson’s work explores the complexities of life using fabric and found objects as a way of preserving his disappearing tradition's art concepts. He successfully blends traditional ideas from his native flag art culture with other contemporary visual expressions to create new constellations of visual communication in flag art.

He successfully fuses paintings, sculpture, assemblages and performance. By investigating methodologies for creative interventions, he generated art projects which address issues of life in contemporary societies.

Since 1998, he has held numerous art exhibitions and art projects in Ghana, most notable being the Kumasi Slipper Curios Kiosk Intervention, 2009 and the “Lontoba” series which begun in 2006.

Exhibitions

Selected Group Exhibitions

2010: Nature and Peace, Geumgang International Nature Art Biennale Exhibition, Gongju, South Korea.

2009:

Out of My Mind, “Dialogue of Mental Health in Ghana”, (Group), Nubuke Foundation, Legon, Accra/ Ghana.
AfriCAM, Contemporary Art in Africa, Casoria International Contemporary Art Museum, Casoria (NA) Italy (Links here, here & here & here.)
Flag Proverbs and Songs (Philosophy of the Asafo) Nubuke Foundation, East Lagon, Accra/Ghana.
Kumasi Curios Slipper Kiosk Intervention. Commercial Area, KNUST, Kumasi/ Ghana (images from the Intervention can be found here, here & here.

2008:

Tapping Local Resources for Art Development, International Artist Teacher Exhibition, (Group), Organized by the African Community of Art Educators, Aba House, Teshie Nungua, Accra/Ghana.
“Lontoba Chapter 4”, (Solo) College of Art, KNUST, Kumasi/Ghana

2007: SaNsA International Artist Exhibition (Group), Kokrobite Institute, Kokrobite, Accra/Ghana.

2005: “Faces and Phases”, (Group), Exhibition Organized and Sponsored by the French Embassy and Alliance Française, Kumasi/Ghana

2003:

Rhythm”, (Solo), Faculty of Fine Art, College of Art, KNUST, Kumasi/Ghana
“Colours of the Wind”, (Group), Alliance Française Kumasi/Ghana.

2002: TRATECH, (Group), Organized by the Trade and Technology Committee of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi/Ghana

2000: Exhibition by Students of the College of Art, College Week, (Group), KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.

1998: Central Regional Expo, “Becoming”, (Solo) Centre for National Culture (CNC), Cape Coast/ Ghana

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2010:

Slippers in Transit, Geumgang Nature Art Centre, Gongju, South Korea.
Great Walk and More Intervention, Greatmore Street, Woodstock, Cape Town/South Africa (www.greatmoreart.org).
Slipper Lilies Intervention. Amansuri Wetlands, Nzulezu, Western Region/ Ghana.
Holy Grounds Intervention (Pre Biennale Exhibition, Korean Nature Art Biennale 2010) KNUST, Kumasi/Ghana.
The ‘Batakari Kesi’ Book Industry, KNUST, Kumasi/Ghana.

2009:

Kumasi Curios Slipper Kiosk Intervention. Commercial Area, KNUST, Kumasi/ Ghana (images from the Intervention can be found here, here & here.'
Changing Beliefs and Experiences Intervention. Lake Bosomtwi, Kumasi/ Ghana

Workshops

2010:

International Nature Art Workshop, Yatoo Workshop, Wongol, South Korea.
International Practice Workshop, Thupelo Cape Town, Greatmore Studios, Woodstock, Cape Town/South Africa.

2009:

International Conference/Workshops on Art, The Kumasi Symposium: Tapping Local Resources for Sustainable Education through Art, College of Art, KNUST, Kumasi/ Ghana.

2008:

International Practice Workshop, African Community of Art Educators “TAPPING LOCAL RESOURCES FOR ART EDUCATION, Aba House, Teshie- Nungua, Accra/Ghana.

2007:

International Practice Workshop, “SaNsA International Artist Workshop, Kokrobite Institute, Kokrobite, Accra/Ghana.

Projects

Collaborative Art Projects

2010:

Emotional Seasons: Internal Room (A collaborative – international interdisciplinary art project) [Link Here]
The African Doll: A collaborative project with Indian Artist, Akanksha, Great Walk and More Art Festival, Woodstock, Cape Town/South Africa.

2009:

Intervention Part 3. Kumasi/Ghana, A collaborative project with Austrian/Australian Media Artist Bello Benishauer, KNUST Museum, Kumasi/Ghana, Project website here.
Emotional Seasons: Christmas (2009-2010). A collaborative – interdisciplinary art project between Sina Moser (Film Maker, Musician/Composer/Performer, Austria), Michael Vandeleur (Painter, Western Australia), Sora Takajama (Poet, Japan, currently India) and Patrick Turkson (Mixed Media Artist, Ghana). The project is directed by Bello Benishauer and Elisabeth M Eitelberger (Australia). Project website here.
Body Art/Performance, A Collaborative Work with Hungarian Artist, Eross Istva’n, Kumasi/Ghana, Project website here.
Can You See the Sound? Kumasi/Ghana, A sound Installation /Performance with Mike Sembiro (Uganda), Rex Akinsanfan (Nigeria) and Bello Benishauer (Austria/Australian) Project Website here.
What is Garbage? Found Art Installation with Asonbang Choe (Cameroonian Artist), KNUST Museum, Kumasi/Ghana. Images from the Installation can be seen here & here.

2006:

The convection of Paul, Mural Painting, Aboabo Catholic Church, Collaborative Project with Benjamin Offie Nyarko(Ghanaian Artist) , College of Art, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.

2005:

Practice Workshop, ART FEELING, Collaborative work between Professional Painters and Commercial Sign Painters in Kumasi, Alliance Française, Kumasi, Ghana

Education

2004-2006: Certificate of M.F.A. (Painting), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, College of Art, Department of Painting, Kumasi, Ghana.

1999-2003: Certificate of B.F.A. (Painting), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, College of Art, Department of Painting, Kumasi, Ghana.

Interest

Professional Experience and Work

Present: Art Lecturer, Department of Painting, Takoradi Polytechnic, Takoradi, Ghana

2009:

Resource Person, Annual Drawing Practice Workshop, Departments of Painting and Sculpture, Takoradi Polytechnic, Takoradi, Ghana.
Resource Person, Practice Workshop, Figure Drawing Workshop, Departments of Painting, Sculpture and Textiles, Takoradi Polytechnic, Takoradi, Ghana.
Working Committee Member, SaNsA International Artist Workshop 2009, Cultural Centre, Kumasi, Ghana
Ghana Representative, African Community of Art Educators (AfriCOAE) Ghana.
Executive Council Member, Foundation for the Arts (FOTA) Ghana.

2007: Freelance Artist

Working Committee Member, SaNsA International Artist Workshop 2007, Kokrobite Institute, Kokrobite, Accra/Ghana
Artist/Resource Person, Saint Louis Secondary School, Kumasi/Ghana
Artist-Set Designer, MISS OBAAPA, Prempeh Assemble Hall, Kumasi/Ghana.

2006:

Member of Working Committee, SaNsA International Artist Workshop, KNUST, College of Art, Kumasi/Ghana
Artist-Set Designer, THE BEUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Lagon, Accra/Ghana
Resource Person, Flag Art Workshop, Tuofo Asafo Militia, Winneba/Ghana

2003-2004: Teaching Assistant, Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Art, College of Art, KNUST, Kumasi/Ghana

2002-2003: Art Teacher, Saint Louise Secondary School, Kumasi/Ghana

Contact The Artist