BIOGRAPHY
“David Nana Opoku Ansah is a young Accra-based photographer and filmmaker whose images exist in the nexus between fashion photography and studio portraiture. His work explores community, freedom and the on-going socio-political temporalities in Ghana. David, who cites James Barnor as an influence, represents a generation of emerging continental Ghanaian cultural workers whose artistic practices are greatly informed by Barnor, yet breaks to forge new visuals articulations” - Awa Konate of Culture Art Society
David Nana Opoku Ansah(b. Accra, Ghana) is an artist/photographer and filmmaker who through analogue and digital mediums creates work to explore freedom, community, vulnerability and quintessential aspects of humanity to challenge the nexus of how images should look and feel through fashion, contemporary image-making and portraiture. His critically acclaimed ongoing project “Area Boys” captures the theme of freedom. Vulnerability,
truth and what it means for coming-of-age Ghanaian boys. This effortlessly connects David’s origins to his burgeoning identity as an artist. “All things are worth photographing” is a functional pillar of David’s ethos. This project seamlessly bridges David's roots with his evolving identity as an artist, encapsulating the essence of his artistic evolution.David's artistic influence knows no bounds.
He is a grantee and winner of the 2020 PhMuseum’s New Generation award. David was selected as one of the five African image-makers to reflect on their shared trajectories to James Barnor’s archive in April 2021 at Piccadilly Circus in London. In July 2021, he exhibited work at Le Carreau du Temple in Paris, France. David shot his first magazine cover featuring Kendrick Lamar. Additionally, his inclusion among the select 50 global creatives in the British Fashion Awards' NEW CREATIVE CLASS of 2022 highlights his indelible mark on the fashion and art landscape.
In essence, David Nana Opoku Ansah embodies the spirit of artistic exploration and innovation, where every facet of the human experience is deemed worthy of being immortalized through the unique lens of his perspective.
GROUP EXHIBITION
You for Unity Photobook cafe - London (curated by Ashleigh Kane and Daphne Chouliaraki Milner) (2024)
Past, Present, Future, Serpentine UK & Circa, Piccadilly Circus, U.K. (curated by Culture Art Society) (2021)
We Ride For Africa, Le Carreau du Temple, Paris (Curated by Essenam & Sandy Alibo)(2021)
Palm Photo Prize, 1014 Gallery, Crossway, London (Curated by East Photographic) (2021)
Verzasca Foto 2020, Sonogno, Switzerland (Selected by Phmuseum)
Cortona On The Move 2020, Tuscany, Italy
Lagos Photo Festival 2020, Lagos, Nigeria
Visual Arts Festival Zanzibar 2019, Stone Town, Zanzibar
SELECTED PRESS & INTERVIEWS
VOICES — Manju Journal (2023)
Vogue Italia
Vogue International
I-D
Dazed
Itsnicethat
Fucking young!
Photographic Museum of humanity
Serpentine Uk
HONOURS, AWARDS AND MENTORSHIP
British fashion awards — NEW CREATIVE CLASS of 2022
Palm Photo Prize (2021)
EAST CO Up and coming award (2021)
Photographic Museum of Humanity New Generation Prize (2020)
Photographic Museum of Humanity — 250 Stories of 2020 (2020)
Mentor for localglobal (fka mothersun) grant program (2020)
SELECTED CLIENTS
Adidas, Byredo, Circa, Dazed, Farfetch, Gucci, Nike, Reebok, Apple, Daily Paper, Highsnobiety, Maison Margiela, New Era Europe, Off-White, Teen vogue, Vogue International