Flamboyantly dressed figures appear against colourful patterned backgrounds, at once painterly and graphic in style. Ghanaian artist Rufai Zakari utilises upcycled plastics and found objects as his artistic materials, creating uniquely textured surfaces that highlight the vibrancy of local culture whilst also drawing attention to more universal issues such as climate change. For his first solo exhibition at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, entitled A New Dawn, Zakari presents a stunning new series of works that celebrates the revitalisation of his hometown Bawku, which is now emerging from decades of violent tribal conflict, and the wider potential of art to enact change.
