Nana Kwadwo Tweneboa-Kodua
Interviewed by Arhantika Rebello
Nana Kwadwo Tweneboa-Kodua, who everyone usually calls NK, is an 18 year old digital artist.
NK centres his art around Afrocentrism, African Youth Culture and Afrofuturism, creating digitally while incorporating more traditional art forms such as drawing and painting within the pieces.
“It all started in 2016 when I used to create phot manipulated art and collages on the pics art app until I got my first laptop. I was able to get the Photoshop software and some other digital creation software and I started to create and post on Instagram in 2021. During the lockdown I got a creative block and decided to explore different themes to focus my art around. I wanted a change. I looked to my culture and what the future had in store for black youth, for Africans. That’s what fuelled my love for Afrocentrism.”
“As a young, new-generation African artist I’m trying to push not only the culture, but also a positive narrative about Africa and Ghana through my work.”
What inspires you and the themes and subjects behind your work?
I’m mostly inspired by elements in my surrounding environment, elements of African, Ghanaian culture, social issues, and technological advancements. I’m actively involved in fashion and the new generation’s alternative culture. The new generation, the youth will have a huge impact on the future, I stand with that and I try to represent that as much as I can in my pieces. A huge percentage of my audience is the youth. Afrofuturism and young people are interconnected, this makes it easy for them to resonate with my art.
How do your heritage and cultural identity play a part in your work?
Cultural identity is a very important thing to me. I try to represent that a lot through my pieces because it constructs a sense of who we are as individuals. I do this by incorporating cultural elements such as traditional symbols and attire on the models in my pieces.
What drives you to create?
I like the thought of being different, and creating art is very different if you think about it from my perspective. A lot of of my friends tell me it was very new, weird in fact, to see someone at my age venturing into art as opposed to areas commonly explored such as music. I mean who doesn’t want to become the next Drake or even Black Sherif? But for me, I want to be the next Basquiat, David Alabo, or Slawn. I’ve been constantly demotivated by a lot of people. But I have objectives, aspirations, and also the right support which has kept me going. After seeing what I’ve been able to achieve along my journey, including getting featured on Okay Africa and Google Arts and Culture, these same people come back to me telling me how they never imagined that just creating images and art pieces could take someone this far.
What advice do you have for other young creatives struggling with motivation to create?
Don't panic if you haven't got everything or anything figured out yet. Also do listen to what other people have to say, but don’t follow opinions too much.
