Yaw Owusus Everything You Touch Is Gold at Gallery 1957 comprises a series of coins on wooden panels and canvas which in their intriguing interplay of colour, texture and abstract patterns call to mind the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian kente. Just as traditional wax-resist dyeing of fabric makes use of readily available materials such as cotton, beeswax, and the plants from which the various vegetable dyes are made, so Owusus fabrics use copper-coated steel coins, from whose natural textures and colours he achieves his desired effect. Owusu starts with the coins basic geometric form, the circle. From this, concentric patterns emerge, transforming into arresting geometric arrangements which become the basis of his questing for meaning and value mediated through the signifier of the coin, the universal democratic unit of economic exchange.

Result #1

Yaw Owusus Everything You Touch Is Gold at Gallery 1957 comprises a series of coins on wooden panels and canvas which in their intriguing interplay of colour, texture and abstract patterns call to mind the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian kente. Just as traditional wax-resist dyeing of fabric makes use of readily available materials such as cotton, beeswax, and the plants from which the various vegetable dyes are made, so Owusus fabrics use copper-coated steel coins, from whose natural textures and colours he achieves his desired effect. Owusu starts with the coins basic geometric form, the circle. From this, concentric patterns emerge, transforming into arresting geometric arrangements which become the basis of his questing for meaning and value mediated through the signifier of the coin, the universal democratic unit of economic exchange. On the other hand, this most effective of schemes is that of the more abstracted circle and a single horizontal horizontal band. In the case of the latter, the core is a black circle which is now surrounded by a layer of gold-colored threads, again creating a structure reminiscent of the spheres. But the central hole is only a mottled patch, the surface has been stained and polished and the threads are knotted in such a way that the inner core is affected as much as the outer core. In short, the entire design and all of the minutest gestures are mapped to the conceptual roots of the design and to the core of the design.In the new designs, Owusus flourishes in detail. He has included inscribed lettering and multiple side-stories, creating a work of gross design which, in its intricate intricacy, attempts to transcend the measureless repetitiveness of the pure design. The discs he has hung from the ceiling extend in various ways across the floor of the room, while the gold-colored threadings are suspended from the ceiling and hanging from the wall. The number of overlapping horizontal bands created by the bars of gold paint are so great that they cannot be read apart. This exhibition is a complex and thoughtful synthesis of Owusus abstract and material creations. The beauty of his designs rests in the subtle texture and intense hues.Woebegone! Though it may seem like a contradiction in terms, the term Woebegone is much more precise and descriptive than Woebegone! Its probably the most appropriate descriptor of this show, since Woebegone, as we know, means to end, to be exhausted. The central components of this show are: two bronze rings; a large gold-pink-plated metal dish; a pair of gold pins; the piece, completely covered with gold-pink paint; and the gold-plated basket with golden rings.

Result #2

Yaw Owusus Everything You Touch Is Gold at Gallery 1957 comprises a series of coins on wooden panels and canvas which in their intriguing interplay of colour, texture and abstract patterns call to mind the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian kente. Just as traditional wax-resist dyeing of fabric makes use of readily available materials such as cotton, beeswax, and the plants from which the various vegetable dyes are made, so Owusus fabrics use copper-coated steel coins, from whose natural textures and colours he achieves his desired effect. Owusu starts with the coins basic geometric form, the circle. From this, concentric patterns emerge, transforming into arresting geometric arrangements which become the basis of his questing for meaning and value mediated through the signifier of the coin, the universal democratic unit of economic exchange. Drawing on the alphabet, Owusu uses the first letter of each word in the alphabet as the base for his compositional structure, drawing a background from the lexical system and creating a geometric structure with an inherent order and orderliness.From this initial unit of geometric organization, Owusu then turns to numerals. These are subdivided into four sets of six smaller canvases, all consisting of a single word of the alphabet. The first set consists of five alphabet letters, in a symmetrical ordering system that is an extension of the original six. The second set consists of six smaller alphabet letters, in a time-sequence arrangement similar to that of the original six, in which each day is represented by a month. The final set is made up of six more alphabet letters, in reverse chronological order. In the first set, the date-letter order is prominent; in the second, the numeral-letter order is less so; in the third, the reverse order; in the fourth, the numeral order is more; and in the fifth, the reverse order. Owususu alternates between the elements of the series in the same order and order. The artworks are shipped in very small containers, which are usually arranged in a series of two to three slots. Their container dimensions are 12 1/2 by 8 3/4 by 1 1/4 inches, painted black or white. The surface of the black surface is usually pressed into a silk-screen texture. The silk-screen surface is frequently puckered in white, glazing over and under the paint and often placed on a whitewash base. The silver-colored surface is applied to the top layer of the silk-screen, and is sometimes covered with gold leaves. Other highlights are a rust-colored gossamer-colored band (in English, called a door) of paint over the velvet in the bottom layer.

Result #3

Equally important to Owusus evocative power is his use of seemingly ordinary materials in these weaving, which he specifically uses to create the painting. In one example, for instance, he embroideries a sheet of paper covering two elephants heads with a pattern of circles and tassels, creating a contrasting visual effect that is poetic and dematerialized. In another, he creates a vivid graphic statement through a simple geometric pattern of geometric elements forming a triptych of three overlapping circles of gold. The texture of these works is almost indescribably beautiful; the fabrics luxurious, naturalistic coloration and soft, organic texture and material cohere as a harmonious unit.This development in Owusus work recalls the devices by which the British textile and craft industries were used to identify and to define a new kind of universal—that of freedom and personal expression. However, Owususus work is not a statement on a universalist or a humanistic concept. On the contrary, it is both a function of and in response to these industries and they are intertwined with these industries by association. For instance, Owususuitos weaving of gold and silver coins connects his production of abstract patterns with his work in the textile industry. Likewise, by linking his work with that of such Ghanaian artists as Yaya Mayne-Gosuthi and Dr. Amenole Ngamba, Owususu makes clear his involvement with textile and textile design. The sweeping and sometimes sagging patterns, often found on the outskirts of towns, are reminiscent of flowing patterns produced by an informal artisan in Ghanaian homes. This connection between Owususus weaving of different kinds of patterns and the colors and textures of the fabrics are evident in several works on display in the show.

Result #4

Yaw Owusus Everything You Touch Is Gold at Gallery 1957 comprises a series of coins on wooden panels and canvas which in their intriguing interplay of colour, texture and abstract patterns call to mind the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian kente. Just as traditional wax-resist dyeing of fabric makes use of readily available materials such as cotton, beeswax, and the plants from which the various vegetable dyes are made, so Owusus fabrics use copper-coated steel coins, from whose natural textures and colours he achieves his desired effect. Owusu starts with the coins basic geometric form, the circle. From this, concentric patterns emerge, transforming into arresting geometric arrangements which become the basis of his questing for meaning and value mediated through the signifier of the coin, the universal democratic unit of economic exchange. The coins act as forms which are in turn part of a puzzle to be solved by the use of meanings; meaning, in turn, is seen in its content, which is determined by its combination with another abstract and figurative sign. In the final piece, the diamonds, the scratch marks, and the cross-hatching of the gold-wax-fabric garment are all part of a deeply personal narrative which is laid out in the loose text which breaks up the work into numerous family resemblances which relate to the plot lines and texture of the puzzle pieces.In Owusus most recent works, Owusu lays out a sophisticated set of decorative patterns which combined seemingly random elements in a highly abstract array. Some of the designs are like colored labels, others like scrolls in a book. Some are folded, others are put on stapled collars. Some of the labels are overlaid on a white background. The artist places the labels in a haloed position, the scrolls in front of them. This alternation of the two groups of works results in a new, more complex kind of cipher, the use of different kinds of adornment in order to identify symbolic meaning. These various combinations and recombinations of symbols indicate, by their highly mechanical surfaces and sparse usage of industrial products, that the coin (or group of coins) functions as a surrogate for memory, as a means to a definite end. In this way the work emphasizes its essential paradoxical nature, which is that if, as Owusu says, memory is a medium to be used to transmit some invisible information, it is also an act of symbolic destruction or annihilation. This is the paradox inherent to the coin as the universal sign.The loose, eclectic text of Owusus weaving-out of metaphor and metaphoric use-value exemplifies the general trends of his work, which is explicitly about meanings and values.

Result #5

Yaw Owusus Everything You Touch Is Gold at Gallery 1957 comprises a series of coins on wooden panels and canvas which in their intriguing interplay of colour, texture and abstract patterns call to mind the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian kente. Just as traditional wax-resist dyeing of fabric makes use of readily available materials such as cotton, beeswax, and the plants from which the various vegetable dyes are made, so Owusus fabrics use copper-coated steel coins, from whose natural textures and colours he achieves his desired effect. Owusu starts with the coins basic geometric form, the circle. From this, concentric patterns emerge, transforming into arresting geometric arrangements which become the basis of his questing for meaning and value mediated through the signifier of the coin, the universal democratic unit of economic exchange. The design of each coin is no less fascinating than its physical use and is in fact one of the more significant aspects of Owusus style. He is a highly conscious and conscious designer.His latest exhibition of six multi-media works, together entitled The Invisible Works, includes nine works composed of gold-plated steel. Each piece is covered with a single layer of paint in a uniform, rather unspectacular, lustrous-fibre tint. In contrast to the deep hues of his earlier works, which used metallic pigments, these new paintings feature a deep, rich, almost inky blue. And, in fact, the quality of the metal is top notch: the bronze is soft, shiny, almost shiny-pink.The Invisible Works works are made of high-end, platinum-plated steel, and are all exhibited in oil-on-wood panels. Each work is framed by a set of double-sided, opaque Plexiglas panels, each panel containing three or more large, graphically textured, nearly black, with a bright red, green or orange energy around it. The Plexiglas is broken up into sections and laid out flat and parallel to the wall, allowing the various different elements of each section to cling together. Each panel is dipped in a deep, rich oil-on-wood gel in the range of smooth to shiny, ultra-moist, and softly textured tones used for the panels. The paint application in these works evokes a multitude of materials and effects the work visually in a particular way. It is in this way that Owusu presents his most recent works. The paint and the metallic panels which make up the works are so beautifully matched and so intricately layered that the paintings feel like the result of a number of times rendered in acrylic paint. The paint does not dry up or fade, although it has a remarkable texture which gives it a sculptural quality.