parted lips - portrait

Amoako Boafo painted this striking portrait in 2019, and the first thing you might notice is what is missing. The figure's clothing and body are left as bare white space, almost like a ghostly outline against the bright green background. By stripping away the details, Boafo pulls all your attention to the face, neck, and crossed arms, where his real magic happens. Look closely at the skin and you will see it is built up from swirling, fingerprinted strokes of paint. This is his signature technique, where he uses his own fingers rather than a brush to shape the skin, giving it a rich, almost sculptural texture.

Boafo is a Ghanaian artist born in Accra, and his rise in the art world has been remarkably fast. He paints Black subjects with tenderness and dignity, often celebrating their presence and individuality at a time when such portraits were rarely given center stage. The title here points to those parted lips with a flash of red, a small detail that brings the figure to life and hints at a thought left unspoken. It is a quiet but confident work, and part of its charm is how much it says by leaving so much out.