Meet the Artist - Larry Otoo

The Foundation for Contemporary Art, Ghana invites you to MEET THE
ARTIST - LARRY OTOO

Larry Otoo is a Ghanaian artist, born in 1956 and presently working
and living in Accra. He graduated form the College of Art at the
University of Science and Technology in Kumasi in 1981. Additionally
he has a Master’s degree in African Art and Comparative Literature
from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Larry is “one of the most successful artists in Ghana, with
exhibitions in Europe, Canada and the United States.” His style has
been described as encompassing realism, expressionism and abstraction.
However he himself seems to have a bias towards the latter, he
believes “there will be a shift from realistic painting to more
abstract painting. Abstract is a form that permeates every society. It
is universal.”

The content of his work is primarily inspired by Ghanaian day to day
activities. He has described how “Each time I pick up the brush to
paint, I have a strong feeling that an obligation has been placed on
me to record and preserve our tradition visually.” He gathers
inspiration from the positive images of everyday life “music, the
market, the seamstress’s place” and considers himself to be a social,
rather than political commentator. However he does not simply paint
the ‘traditional’ images around him but rather more “contemporary
things, like fashion shows….and sports, like billiards, football or
golf.” Additionally Jazz music, which he was exposed to as a child,
seems to have inspired and influence Larry Otoo significantly. “The
music is almost tangible in the abstract rhythm with which he paints
his musicians.”

DATE: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2009

Venue: Alliance Francaise

Time: 4:00PM – 6:00PM

This Project is funded by the European Union, supported by the
Cultural Initiative Support Programme and Alliance Francaise - Accra