April 2025

Bath born Joshua Donkor presents art that touches on themes of memory, nostalgia, family dynamics and diaspora, with cultural identity central to his work.

Joshua Donkor approaches portraiture as a collaborative exercise between himself and his sitters. He works with the subjects of his paintings to identify objects and images that convey their personal narratives, including family photos, fabrics, and personal belongings. Using a range of painting and printing techniques, Donkor embeds the histories of his sitters into the work, combining their images with layered visual references to the selected items. The compositions incorporate glimpses of the figures’ homes and families—two crucial elements that shape identity. The resulting works offer complex representations of multiple generations, time periods, and memories, reflecting the influences of the past and their ongoing impact on the future.