BIOGRAPHY
The vibrant, bold and colourful paintings of Isshaq Ismail explore and investigates how the social, cultural, and political aspects of the modern world impact identity. Ismail paints faces and figures in impasto, typically depicting them with accentuated grotesque features and using black, brown, Blue, Purple, Green, Ochre and Red hues. His portraits also reflect his interest in themes such as desire, resilience, power, Joy and hope; they tell stories and universal truths about societies around the world. Ismail studied at the Ghanatta College of Arts and Design, he lives and works in Accra, Ghana.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am interested in breaking the mould of painting by subverting and interrogating the preconceived notion of the idea of beauty within the canon of painting, primarily figurative painting, and challenging the perception of aesthetics.
Desire, longing, wonderment, strength, resilience, power, Joy and hope can be seen in the face and figures of my work. I employ thick, loose, flat and cryptic gestural brushstrokes of Acrylic paint without inhibition, fear or conformity, like the way a sculptor sculpts human figures from clay, I sculpt my figures with the brush. I describe my vibrant, boldly coloured, thickly impastoed figuration as "Infantile semi-abstraction"
The images I create become metaphors of people's sentiments and also serve as protagonists to represent the masses and advocate for the voiceless. Not trash, but people. Not remnants, but lives - look closer and they will tell you their stories.
ISSHAQ ISMAIL
Born 1989, Accra, Ghana
Lives and works in Accra, Ghana
EDUCATION
2012 CERTIFICATE Painting, Ghanatta College of Art and Design, Accra, Ghana
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
"Beauty Behind The Madness" Gallery 1957, Accra, Ghana
2018
Layers at Nicholas Roman Fine Art, New York, USA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
MATERIAL EARTH with Efie Gallery in collaboration with Christie's London, UK
"4000+ Years of African Art" / "+4000 ans d'Art Africain" curated by Destinee Ross-Sutton at the Wall House Museum in Saint Barthélemy
Art of the present Future, Almaden, Madrid, Spain
2021
BLACK EXCELLENCE - BLACK ELEGANCE, Ross-Sutton Gallery, 345 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
(West) African Renaissance with Gallery 1957 in collaboration with Christie's, Dubai, UAE
All Africa Festival Burj Park Downtown Dubai by EMAAR, Artwork presented by kuenyehia Trust for Contemporary Art and showcased by Efie Gallery
"AWAKENING" (Nature's Safe Charity in support of Animals facing extinction) curated by Aubrey Higgin, Noho Studios, London
SAY IT LOUD 2 (Visionaries of Self) curated by Destinee Ross-Sutton, Christie's New York, USA
Gallery extended 1-54 NY presentation, Ross-Sutton Gallery, New York, USA
2020
"BLACK VOICES: Friend of My Mind" at Ross - Sutton Gallery, New York, USA.
SAY IT LOUD (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" curated by Destinee Ross-Sutton, Christie's New York, USA
Cgunu/Nkambom, Cape Town, South Africa
2019
BLAU! FISCHE! at To Live is To Choose Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
Various Artists at To Live is To Choose Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
Celebration of Australia Day in collaboration with the National Museum Australia and Gertrude Foundation at Australian High Commission, Accra, Ghana
2018
To celebrate the visit to Ghana of Their Royal Highnesses The prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall organized by the British High commission in Ghana at Jamestown cafe, Accra, Ghana
AC1 (African Contemporary One) at Nicholas Roman Fine Art, New York, USA
African Day Summer Show at WTC The Hague Art Gallery, Netherlands
2017
Orange week Fuse It at Netherlands Embassy, Accra, Ghana
2016
Barclay’s L'Atelier Finalists Show at Absa Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Holland & Ghana Growing Together at Netherlands Embassy, Accra, Ghana
2013
National Museum, Accra, Ghana
ART FAIRS
2021
Waterhouse & Dodd at Art Miami
Westbund Art & Design Fair Shanghai with Bloom Galerie in collaboration with HDM Gallery
2019
St - Art, the Contemporary Art and Design fair of Strasbourg with La Galerie Florence, France
Art Montpellier Fair with La Galerie Florence, Beziers, France
Arte Fair with To Live is To Choose Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
COLLECTIONS
Private Collections
WORKS &
PROJECTS
2020, Crit Lab, Foundation For Contemporary Art, Accra, Ghana
2018, Chalewote Art Festival, Accra, Ghana
2017, Chalewote Art Festival, Accra, Ghana
2015, Imago Mundi (Contemporary Artists from Ghana)
2014, 32/64/90 World cup Art project with Uniform creative
Consultancy UK - Selected Ghanaian Artist
RESIDENCIES
2022 Gallery 1957 Accra, Ghana
2020 Quarantine Residency, Isshaq Ismail Studio (Accra, Ghana)
AWARDS & COMPETITIONS
2019 Shortlisted for GUBA (USA) Influential Artist Award
2016 Barclays L'Atelier Art Competition, Johannesburg, South Africa -Top 100 finalists
2016 Kuenheyia Art Prize, Accra, Ghana - Top 10 finalists
2015 Kuenheyia Art Prize, Accra, Ghana -Top 10 finalists