Michael M Agyepong

Year of birth: 2000.
Where do you live: Based in Denver, CO. 
Your education: University of Denver / BA in Studio Art and Design.
Describe your art in three words: Colorful. Intimate. Fantastical.
Your discipline: Painting. Illustration. Graphic design.
Website | Instagram

Can you tell us about your journey into art? What initially inspired you to become a multi-media artist?

I’ve been obsessed with creating and imagination since I was young, and it naturally spilled over to art. I had a very active and full imagination while having the drive and energy to follow my ideas through. Growing up in America, my family believed very much in the value of education and, subsequently, formally learning about art played much more of a role in fueling my curiosity in my life. As for an initial inspiration for me becoming a multi-media artist, it was by both experiencing wonderful works in person as a child, and the scarcity of resources I had. I would obsess over certain paintings and, wanting to create my own, I would mix anything I had, like a marker, crayon, tape, or pen, simply because I never had fine art supplies in the house and was constrained. Really, I love all pieces of art.

Michael Agyepong | GR1 | 2023

Your work often explores themes of fantasy, black identity, contrast, and duality. How do you approach these themes in your different mediums (oil painting, illustration, digital art)?

I’m very selective in approaching these specific themes I like to explore. As I get more experienced, I noticed that I lean on certain themes for some mediums more than others. My portraits, for example, are very cropped on the idea of blackness and black identity, my subjects are mostly African or African American because, on one hand, as a black man myself, I grew up with many of my subjects in my community and I naturally painted them in my practice, yet on the other hand, I think that we as black people aren’t monolithic and there’s a multifaceted nature in the personality and identity every person of color I paint. I’ve painted black people from different social strata, with different emotions and stories that I, in all honesty, could never fully bring to light in the fullness that they deserve. I want to communicate this message in my paintings that, even though we came from the same place, our identities are also so diverse and that there’s a beauty in that contrast.

Breaking down the barriers between reality and underlying emotions is a central aspect of your work. Could you explain how you use shape and color to achieve this?

I have a digital piece called ‘Lovers’. I found the reference image of that piece while shuffling through ads one evening and I found the image quite powerful. Within the piece, the textures, loose brush strokes and the bleached-out colors used were intentional to hopefully create a euphoric and dream-like mood which hints at the feelings of both subjects. It was never about creating incredibly clean, perfect brush strokes seen in the Renaissance era, rather it was about creating an emotion or feeling when looking at the piece.

Michael Agyepong | Michael | 2022

You’ve exhibited in venues such as the Davis Gallery and the Made in Colorado Group show. How has exhibiting your work influenced your artistic development?

Exhibiting my work at spaces in Denver, and even in your publication, has made me hungrier. For me, that hunger is good for art and creativity because it lets me know that processes that I have matter to at least someone else. Funnily enough, it forces me to be more authentic to my style and my intuition, which is ultimately great for creativity.

What role do you think public collections and exhibitions play in shaping the perception of black identity in art?

I think as one of the most common modern places for art to be seen by the public, collections and exhibitions have a great responsibility in reframing the public perception of black people in art. These spaces are ultimately how many speak of and think of art like movie theaters and concerts. Yet, these collections and exhibitions, in my opinion, must additionally call attention to the incredible work all artists of color do and the communities they represent.

Michael Agyepong | Cornell | 2022

In what ways does living in Denver influence your creative process and the subjects you choose to explore?

Denver’s only getting bigger and the number of people coming in and doing new things here serves as very inspirational to me. There’s such a mix of people in Colorado I feel, there are so many lives and stories that are lived daily here. I also feel that Denver’s art scene is strong and always evolving which helps me push my work further and to explore subjects that are really different.

Are there any particular artists or movements that have had a significant impact on your style?

There are so many artists and movements that have impacted my style and work. Contemporary artists like Riley Holloway, Alberto Mielago, Ron Hicks, Angel Ricardo Rios, Jean Michel Basquiat, Chuck Jones, Robert Henri, and Moe Gram are some of the many artists who have influenced me.