Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng: Selected works, 2020-2025
My work engages with the profound legacy of Ghanaian ceramics, bridging its rich historical foundations with a bold contemporary vision. Drawing upon the intricate symbolism of Kente patterns in textiles and Adinkra motifs, I transform these culturally significant elements into a visual language that challenges traditional boundaries and redefines ceramic art on an international stage. By navigating the intersections of form, symbolism, and materiality, my practice interrogates the tensions between tradition and modernity, cultural preservation and innovation, as well as the dynamic exchanges that occur within and across cultures.
At its core, my research delves into the concept of space—both physical and metaphysical—as a lens for exploring transitions through borders, identities, and emotional terrains. My work functions as a monumental visual diary, chronicling experiences of navigating spaces that evoke a spectrum of emotions: loss, belonging, acceptance, isolation, and nostalgia. This diary embodies the universal human experience of crossing thresholds—whether geographic, cultural, or personal—and reflects my commitment to creating art that resonates across different contexts.
Through my practice, I seek to address profound questions. For instance,
• How do the spaces we traverse shape our perceptions of identity (not as black or white, African or western, but as the self), belonging, and existence?
• In what ways do transitions impact on our mental and psychological well-being?
• How can art serve as a catalyst for community engagement, fostering social cohesion across diverse contexts?
These inquiries are not merely theoretical, they are deeply personal. My body of work reflects the transformative journey of, for instance, parenthood, examining how this space of nurturing has reshaped my understanding of care, identity, and legacy.
I aim to spark dialogue around the universality of human experience while celebrating the specificity of cultural heritage. My work transcends traditional definitions of ceramics, incorporating innovative techniques and interdisciplinary approaches to amplify its relevance within the contemporary art landscape. By blending monumental forms, evocative symbolism, and rich cultural narratives, I contribute to a global discourse on the self, resilience, and the ways in which art can be a bridge to foster understanding across borders.
As an artist-scholar, I am committed to pushing the boundaries of ceramic art, championing its role in contemporary art, and fostering a deeper appreciation of cultural intersections. My work stands as a testament to the enduring power of art to connect, challenge, and inspire.
My work is predominantly ceramic freestanding and wall sculptures and installations that incorporate fabric (notably Kente), repurposed wood, metal and several other nonceramic materials and media. They are characterized by vibrant underglazes, slips, and manganese dioxide finishes in both oxidation and atmospheric firing techniques, particularly soda firing, to create surfaces that resonate with texture and depth.
I have been fascinated by how many Ghanaian ceramic artists such as James Kwame Amoah, Kofi Asante, Frederick Okai and many others have used and continue to use Ghanaian symbolism, like Adinkra, in many fascinating ways; and how artist like Piet Mondrian, Kurt Shwitters, Joel Shapiro, Faith Ringgold and Karel Appel render abstractionism and repurposed materials. I strive to create an aura through which multiple symbols of social significance coexist within space and time in my work. I am drawn to the dominance of mostly primary colors in the paintings of Piet Mondrian. His bold and block color composition resonates with the bold and vibrant colors of the Kente. I am interested in exploring the intersection between the abstraction of Piet Mondrian and Joel Shapiro and my style abstraction.
My sculptures incorporate fabric alongside industrial materials and tools—such as pallets, worn out kiln parts (including kiln elements, thermocouples, relays, cones), used saw blades, and other remnants of labor and production. These works vary in scale, from small pieces to expansive installations, and are presented as freestanding, hanging, or wall-mounted forms. I am particularly interested in surface treatments using underglazes and manganese dioxide, which allow me to explore contrasts between material histories, process, and aesthetic finish.
Captions
- Dining with Mama & Dada: Blood, 2025, porcelain, mason stain, underglaze, 20 x 13.5 x 13.5 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Dining with Mama & Dada: Golden, 2025, porcelain, stained porcelain, underglaze, 20 x 15 x 15 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Dining with Mama & Dada: Purity #1, 2025, porcelain, mason stain, 18.5 x 13 x 11 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Dining with Mama & Dada: Purity #2, 2025, porcelain, mason stain, 22 x 13.5 x 12 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Dining with Mama & Dada, 2025, porcelain, underglaze, Installation variable, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Remnants of the Past #1, 2025, porcelain, underglaze, concrete, 27.6 x 8.6 x 7.25 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Remnants of the Past #2, 2025, porcelain, underglaze, thermocouple, concrete, 27.25 x 9.5 x 8 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Remnants of the Past #3, 2025, porcelain, underglaze, concrete, 27.25 x 9.5 x 8 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Compound House, 2025, stoneware, Kente, underglaze, manganese dioxide, kiln replacement element, mixed media, Installation variable, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- One Man Thousand, 2024, stoneware, Kente, underglaze, mixed media, Installation variables, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- What Did You Learn Today, 2022, colored porcelain, wood, Installation variable, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Everything and Nothing: The Diary of the One Who Leaves, 2021, porcelain, stoneware, mixed media, 76 x 30 x 30 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
- Picking the Pieces Together, 2020, stoneware, underglaze, glaze, epoxy, 23 x 18 x 15 inches, Oxidation fired. Photo credit: Artist
