Ed Cross is pleased to announce the sole representation of 22-year old Ghanaian artist Pabi Daniel, who joins the gallery’s roster of artists working across and beyond the diaspora. Ed Cross will present Daniel’s first solo exhibition of new work with the gallery later this year.
Daniel (b. 1999, Accra, Ghana) is a painter fascinated by painting itself. Applying pigment in sculptural layers as well as smooth washes, Daniel’s practice prompts its viewer to consider paint’s sociological aspects as well as its material reality: who have painters been, in canonical – Western – art history? Who have been their muses, and how might those categories be troubled by a painter beyond those confines?
Ed Cross, Director, said, “Pabi’s work defies the usual superlatives. At just 22 years of age, he shows exceptional technical accomplishments and daring. Revelling in influences from contemporary Ghanaian masters and the world of digital animation that engulfs us all, he creates extraordinary paintings that are eclectic yet coherent, mysterious and utterly convincing.”
Pabi Daniel added, “History has been nothing but a cover up when it comes to the story of Africans. The story of my people I feel has always been brushed under the carpet for far too long… so I feel burdened as an artist to lift the carpet up and represent what has always been there - the thriving cultural evolution of my people. My responsibility is not just to make beautiful paintings but to make bold representations that clearly defines the space of black people in our history.”
