What We Leave We Carry

Ghanaian artist and teacher Papa Essel creates a solo exhibition, commissioned by Modern Painters, New Decorators. Papa creates image and text-based paintings, combining newspaper headlines, proverbs, textile patterns and adrinka symbols. He is inspired by urban spaces including barbershop signs, market culture and traffic signals. Papa’s work explores a network of themes around Africa's relationship with the West. He has lived and worked in Kumasi, Ghana and Hull, UK and is currently based in Bromley, London. The project is funded by Arts Council England, Leicestershire County Council and Charnwood Borough Council.