BIOGRAPHY
David Nana Opoku Ansah (b. Accra, Ghana) is an artist, photographer and filmmaker who explores freedom, community and quintessential aspects of humanity through analogue and digital mediums. His 'fly on the wall' perspective and world-building approach challenge the nature of how images should look and feel through fashion, contemporary image-making and portraiture.
His critically acclaimed ongoing project “Area Boys” captures themes of freedom, vulnerability, and the meaning of truth for coming-of-age Ghanaian boys. This project seamlessly bridges David's roots with his evolving identity as an image-maker, encapsulating the essence of his artistic evolution: “All things are worth photographing”.
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.
“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
EXHIBITION
Nii Journal Group Exhibition by Campbell Addy, London - U.K.
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 (Curated 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 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
Apple
ASICS
Byredo
Circa
Dazed
Daily Paper
Document Journal
Farfetch
Gucci
Harper’s Bazaar Italia
Highsnobiety
Maison Margiela
Monocle
Nike
New Era Europe
Off-White
Reebok
Teen vogue
Vogue International
Wallpaper