Artist Biography
I am Mark Buku, a Ghanaian-born painter currently based in Connecticut, USA. My early years were profoundly shaped by my creative parents and the vibrant social milieu of my upbringing. This foundation instilled in me a critical eye and an enduring passion for creativity, which flourished even before my formal academic training.
Though I pursued higher education, earning a BA in Art and an MFA in Painting at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, and later a Doctor of Education at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, my identity as an artist was already firmly established. I exhibited professionally as a painter for years before completing my studies.
Over the years, I have showcased my work internationally, exhibiting in the USA, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. My mediums include oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media, reflecting both representational and abstract approaches. In 2000, the Ghana National Theatre awarded me a grant to attend a residency at the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson. A piece created during this residency won a prize at The Bartimeus Art Awards the following year.
My artistic style integrates African motifs, traditional themes, and contemporary social elements. The interplay of personal experience and creative exploration culminates in an emotionally charged body of work that resonates with ideological, intellectual, and formal concerns.
This Project
Walls as Storytellers and Creative Metaphors
Walls are far more than physical boundaries; they carry stories, mirror human spirituality, and serve as existential metaphors. From antiquity to modernity, their textures, colors, and marks have inspired aesthetic appreciation. My current body of work draws inspiration from the beauty of walls—scrawls, decay, and patina that embody human interaction and history.
These pieces aim to transform wall surfaces into expressive devices that invite dialogue. The works transcend the purely visual through the interplay of textures, shapes, and layered compositions, creating a collaborative space for engagement between the artist, the audience, and the environment. By mirroring the spiritual and emotional landscapes of those who interact with these walls, the work fosters a deeper understanding of shared human experiences.
Unlike muralism or street art, this initiative does not aim to redefine walls themselves but instead seeks to extend their narrative onto canvas. The resulting visual language symbolizes identities, relationships, and values from the mundane to the profound.
Drawing inspiration from Kandinsky’s philosophy of the spirituality of art, I aim to use walls as metaphors for t
he human condition. These works unravel the psychological and aspirational layers of the people who live with and within these walls, reflecting their realities while nourishing the viewer’s consciousness.
Artist Statement
My work explores social, political, and cultural issues through the lens of aesthetic processes deeply rooted in my African heritage and history. I critically engage with diverse subjects while maintaining a commitment to visual storytelling.
In my art, I immortalize overlooked moments from everyday life, bringing them to the forefront. I draw upon simple, familiar elements and highlight contrasts and contradictions to restore harmony and order within the composition. This theoretical approach guides my practice, enabling me to weave together narratives that resonate universally while reflecting my personal perspective.
Education
1994: BA (Art) with Honors in Painting, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
1997: MFA in Painting, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
2024: Doctor of Education, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
Selected Exhibitions
1992: Beautiful Ghana, Shangri-La Hotel, Accra
1993: EU Art Show, National Museum, Accra
1995: Paintertives, Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra
1997: Prekese, National Museum, Accra
2000: Colores of Ghana, London
2001: Transformation, African Gallery, Chicago, IL
2003: Sound of Color, Whispers Gallery, Barbados
2004 Transition, Galleria Africana, Accra
2005 New Works-Buku, L’ Acra, Benin
2013 Sound of Music, Rosenthal Gallery, FSU, Fayetteville, NC
2016: Exhibition of New Works, Nine Dot Gallery, Worcester, MA
2018 Sankofa, Gallery 2622, Wauwatosa, WI
2019 Watercolor Show, SOCCA, Southington, CT.
2020 Group Show, Farmington Library, Farmington, CT.
2025: Pushing the Envelope, Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
Awards & Recognitions
1993: 3rd Prize, EU Art Competition
2000: Bartimeus Art Award for works produced during Vermont Studio Center residency
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bsp; Grants & Residencies
2000: Grant for Studio Study, awarded by Ghana National Theatre and Leroy Coubagey
2000: Residency, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson
Mural Work
Wall of Honor, Fayetteville, NC