Musah Yussif: The Saints of Ghana

Confronting contemporary culture through illustration.

Artist Interview - Musah Yussi Nubuke Foundation

Artist Musah Yussif on his current practice, his childhood in Nima, and the themes he explores.

The Saint I: V (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

Musah Yussif was born in 1997 and is based in Kumasi, Ghana. He graduated with a BFA in Painting and Sculpture from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (2019).

The Saint II:II (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

Musah Yussif believes in the potential of good in all of us. He thinks sainthood could be achieved by humans regardless of our backgrounds.

The Saint II: III (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

In this series of drawings titled ‘The Saints’, he breaks away from the western depiction of divinity with symbols like halos.

The Saint I: II (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

The idea of picture making plays a vital role in Musah Yussif composition of drawings, which involves taking reference photographs and manipulating them using photo editing software.

The Saint I: III (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

The drawings are accompanied by patterns which are influenced by Islamic patterns and Sirigu paintings.

The Saint I: IV (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

Musah Yussif mainly uses charcoal, pastel, and metallic paint for his works.

The Saint II: V (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

The portraits depict women contemplating on life. They are a powerful reflection of identity and contemporary culture in Ghana.

The Saint II: IV (2020) by Musah YussifOriginal Source: Nubuke Foundation

Credits: All media
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