Hannah Kwafo

Hannah Kwafo | Home | 2025

Why did you choose to work with calabash and pyrography? What do you like most about this combination?

I chose the calabash primarily due to its traditional significance and diverse usage as a household object in my country Ghana, and secondarily for its hemisphereic nature that embodies the visual compositions of my drawings.

Pyrography was my most preferred drawing technique due to its ethereal outcome on the calabash, allowing both the drawings and the surface of the calabash to be visually viewed and appreciated by the audience. The most intriguing  and interesting aspects for me are the act and art of burning the gourds symbolically, representing the Anthropocene – how the actions of mankind affect and permanently affect the geo-biological forms of nature.

The patterns in your work often feature aquatic life. Why water and marine ecology in particular? Do these creatures hold metaphorical meaning for you?

The marine and aquatic life were purposely the underlying theme due to my connection to the sea as an indigene of the coastal community named Sekondi in the Western Region of Ghana. Every creature is intricately drawn based on my interaction, perception and connection with it.

Hannah Kwafo | Golden goddess | 2024

In your net installation, what message are you sharing about people and nature?

My net installation is a juxtaposition of nature in its abundance and the aftermath of nature due to hazardous human actions. In this work is my voice as a coastal indegene of how my once beautiful refreshing home, has been destroyed and lost due to destructive actions birthed from Capitalism.

Living and studying in different countries, how has that changed or added to your artistic voice?

Living and studying in different countries is greatly assisting me in deeply analysing the cognitive and visual lenses from different audiences with different cultural backgrounds. Thereby, challenging me to effectively learn how to communicate my artistic concepts to a unified level of understanding and reception.

Hannah Kwafo | Black maidens | 2024

You’ve taught in Ghana and the U.S. How does teaching inspire your own art?

As one who has interest in art and academia, with a great public speaking ability, teaching has taught me to have utmost confidence in my voice without any shadow of doubt and fear. It can be quite intimidating sometimes with a wave of inferiority, but I have learned to constantly challenge myself and bask in unwavering confidence.

You call yourself an interdisciplinary artist. Are there new materials or tools you want to try?

I look forward to exploring ceramics and wood carving to give me much more mastery in creating excellent crafts in forms, shapes and tectures.

Hannah Kwafo | Sea hive | 2023

If you could team up with a scientist or environmentalist, what kind of art project would you like to do?

If I could team with a scientist or environmentalist, I would like to work on huge interactive installations based on the human senses to immerse and indulge the audience.