The Vivid Imagery of Gideon Appah’s Surreal Landscapes

Appah started drawing as a child, using the charcoal his grandmother cooked with. He received his BFA in 2012 from The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and has work in major museums and galleries around the world— with a solo-exhibition, Beyond the Shadows: Gideon Appah Poetic Vision, opening June 12th at Gallery 1957 in Paris. Art & Object spoke with the artist about his art and process.

Megan D Robinson: You often use a distinctive color palette of royal blue, crimson, dark orange, and white. What draws you to this color palette?

Gideon Appah: I am drawn to colors that possess the quality of muteness. Also, the color’s application on the canvas makes a lot of difference. I paint by sketching out how the final work should look first, then I proceed to add light layers of paint, one on top of the other several times, till I arrive at the final result. The process creates the subtlety and softness of color. 

I work on showing the time of day in a painting. If I choose to make a painting of an evening scene, I have a process I follow, even though it’s not one hundred percent strict. It’s a very flexible way of working. Accidents during the process have helped me several times to discover new ways of painting. 

On the other hand, there are other works which I have painted using bright colors. A hill can take the combination of the colors of crimson, green, ultramarine blue, and burnt umber, with small dashes of dirty white which I use for light reflections, and adding orange paint for sun or moon. 

MDR: How do memories and landscapes play a part in inspiring your work? What other imagery do you feel drawn to?

GA: My work has always carried that perception of ‘timelessness’ with it. Initially, I started making paintings and collages by referencing old photographs of family members or friends. That helped to shape my understanding of memory and time.  Since then, my works have looked like they’re out of time. 

‘Memory and stillness’ works hand in hand for me. Landscapes have always had that psychological effect of stillness, calm, anxiety, and time. The stillness of a photograph is very much like the stillness of a landscape or seascape. 

MDR: Much of your imagery feels dreamy and magical, and you have said you are influenced by folklore and mythology. Do you feel you are creating your own personal visual mythology?

GA: I believe so! Besides my work having a blend of portraiture and landscapes, it also has a touch of surrealism with it. I have always wanted to look beyond the physical visuals in a work of art: what the painting can be or what is behind the meaning of a simple painting. It’s quite challenging for me. 

When I paint, I enjoy it a lot. I experiment with different colors and compositions and am not too bothered by the tone of color the work finally takes— whether colors are representational or not. A greyish green color or a reddish color could symbolize a perfect sky for me. In the same way, I may manipulate the colors of figures from turquoise to greenish blue to dark purple. 

MDR: How do layers and textures work together in your work?

GA: It’s a matter of how I want the work to look after it’s done. Mostly working from darkness to light, I layer one color over another repeatedly by applying the colors lightly onto the surface of canvas, to create room for perspective, and depth and muteness of the color. I start with water-based paint first and end up in oils, but I do this in a strategic manner.

Some parts of the work may not need layering at all, instead, I sometimes apply thick paint directly onto the surface of the canvas. I may use thick white paint to create swirls, short dashes, lines as a symbol for movement of water. Other times, I may use thick paint for details in the foreground of the work.

MDR: What do you want people to know about your work? What do you hope viewers experience through your work?

GA: I want viewers to have an experience of the paintings first. My work is a combination of figures, landscapes, and surreal figures. I want people to look at its subject matter, compositions, technicalities in paint and the use of color.