Welcome to DOZpics! This is my first blog about this site. Of all the bodies of work that you'll find on these pages, I thought that PeopleScapes would make people scratch their heads in wonderment the most. PeopleScapes is from a collection of images known as Adinkra Symbols. These are images that originated in West Africa and are part of a symbolism that uses primary inspiration from nature to express human characterstics and
interactions.
I took these symbols, rendered in two dimensions (usually on a garment) and attempted to animate them by using people to form these symbols in natural settings. By doing so, I hoped to emphasize the natural connection between the natural world and humans.
But in truth, I believe that the work has turned into a "love letter" between me and the country of my biological father, Ghana. The titles that I give to the works are loose translations of the Asanti and Akan peoples' titles that originally conceived these symbols.
DOZ