Jonathan Kwegyir Aggrey was born in 1984 in Ghana, the youngest of nine siblings. He knew he wanted to be an artist by the time he was five years old. His family saw his potential early and never discouraged him. He worked as a roadside artist from 1995 to 2003 before moving to Accra to study with his mentor Enoch Yaw Mensah.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He also had informal training at Freehand Studios. Today he works as a painter, sculptor, and book illustrator. He’s best known for watercolour, but he works in all kinds of media. He’s been painting professionally for over 20 years now.
His work is deeply rooted in Ghanaian coastal life. He grew up in the southern part of Ghana and spent most of his life along the coast. He says coastal life comes to him so naturally that he needed to document it with his watercolour practice. His paintings show fishing villages, crowded markets, and the daily life of ordinary people.
“I grew up in the southern part of Ghana, and all my life activities have been along the coast. I find the coastal life coming to me so naturally that I needed to document them with my water color practice.”
He wants to show the positive side of Ghana and Africa. His work addresses social, economic, and environmental themes. He paints the resilience of African people and how they solve problems. He believes art can tell a story that words cant always capture. His watercolours are vibrant and full of movement.
Q: What awards has Jonathan Kwegyir Aggrey won?
A: He won the ‘Young Icon’ award at the Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah African Genius Awards in 2014. He also won the ‘Golden Brush’ award in Gaziantep, Turkey in 2017. He’s received several other international awards aswell.
He has exhibited in many countries around the world. His work has been shown in Ghana, Turkey, Romania, China, Thailand, Colombia, Mexico, Kosovo, Nigeria, Italy, France, Norway, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Albania, and Russia. His collectors include the Qingdao Art Museum in China and many private collectors globally.
He is the current President of the International Watercolor Society-Africa Continent. He’s also the only African on the jury committee board and a member of the International Watercolor Society in Turkey. He published a book called “Jonathan Aggrey – Tales of African Watercolor” which collects his paintings and tells the story of his career.
Q: What inspires Jonathan Kwegyir Aggrey?
A: He says inspiration comes naturally or through meditation. He gets ideas from observing, walking around, sketching, talking, listening to conversations or music, and looking through photos. He often listens to African music from Ghana, Mali, Senegal, and Cameroon while he paints. He’s had many mentors including Richard Acquaah-Harrison, Enoch Yaw Mensah, Nancy Howe, Master Guan Weixing, Ong Kim Seng, and Ann Thibaudeau.
