The Holburne Museum in Bath is pleased to present a display of recent works by Joshua Donkor (b. 1997, UK), a Ghanian-British painter who grew up in Bath.
His work is deeply personal, using portraiture to reflect family history, identities and experiences, exploring how feelings of belonging and estrangement play out through different generations. Donkor approaches portraiture as a collaborative exercise between him and his sitters. He works with the subjects of his paintings to identify objects and images that convey their personal narrative, including family photos, fabrics and personal belongings. Using a range of different painting and printing techniques, he literally embeds the histories of his sitters into the work, combining their image with layered visual references to the items they picked out together. The images are built up with glimpses of the figure’s homes and families: two crucial elements that inform identity. The resulting works are complex representations of multiple generations, time periods and memories that have informed the past, and continue to influence the future.
Joshua Donkor said: “Exhibiting this body of work at the Holburne Museum feels like a real full-circle moment for me. I grew up in Bath, so my first exposure to art was in places like the Holburne, as a child I even attended workshops there with my mum. To think that I will now have the opportunity to share my own paintings and stories in this space is incredibly special for me and my family. I hope my paintings will resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds in telling their stories of family history and help inspire a new generation of young storytellers.”
Chris Stephens, Director of the Holburne Museum, said: “We first worked with Joshua in 2022, presenting a number of recent works in a residency at The Edge Gallery at the University of Bath. The power and potency of his works is remarkable and we’re delighted to be working with him once more, introducing his work to wider audiences at the Museum this spring.”
This is a ticketed exhibition. Please visit the Holbourne's website to purchase tickets.
If you are interested in knowing more about Joshua and discussing collecting work by the artist, please contact Gallery Director Isobel Beauchamp | Isobel@DegreeArt.com | 07708 251 687
