Ahmed Partey is a Ghanaian artist. He takes inspiration from traditional African art and culture to communicate the modern black identity and its connections African heritage. He highlights the essence of the past culture and connects and relates to the present and future. Ahmed gets his inspiration from Ancient African mask sculptors or Salvador Dali. When he is making new art, he feels his ancestors communicating with him. He feels them guiding him through his artwork as he doesn’t have any picture in his head. As he creates, the picture reveals itself.
NFT Granny: “Dear Ahmed, I have to admit I really like your artwork. While checking your art pieces, I realised the solid traditional African touch. Is there a message you would like to convey with your artwork?“
Ahmed Partey: Thank you so much. The traditional African touch is a representation of black identity and connection to black ancestry. In African culture, masks represent spirits and ancestors from the spirit world. It was a way of immortalising dead relatives and keeping their memory eternal. In a similar fashion, I use my art to highlight the essence of the past culture and connect and relate to the present and future.
How did you first become interested in art, and how did you get started with it yourself?
Ahmed Partey: Growing up as a child, I watched an older friend draw cartoons always. He sparked my artistic interest. I started drawing cartoon characters like ninja turtles, spider-man, looney tunes, tom and jerry etc. From there, I delved more into the arts.
Can you tell us more about the story behind your project, “Green in the dark”?
Ahmed Partey: Green in the dark is a representation of an ancestral plane. A form of the spirit world imagined in space on the moon. I tried to capture the peacefulness in space and how it is related to the spirit world.
Open on superrare.co
Which of your artworks are you most proud of?
Ahmed Partey: Green in the dark.
Is there an artist you would like to work with? Like a collaboration?
Ahmed Partey: Ancient African mask sculptors or Salvador Dali
We are curious 🙂 Would you be willing to share any plans of upcoming projects?
Ahmed Partey: They are still in the pipeline.
Do you remember the first time you heard about NFT Art?
Ahmed Partey: Makersplace sent me an email to join in May 2020. That’s how I got into NFTs. I was already making digital art before NFT. I have been creating digital art since 2017.
Where do you see the NFT Art scene in the future?
Ahmed Partey: The NFT art scene will keep expanding. Soon any digital creation can be an NFT, therefore easily traded. NFT, digital art, Virtual Reality, Games, cryptocurrencies like Ethereum will be inevitable and inseparable. This is the future of the internet.
Can you tell us a little more about artvatars? How did you get into it? What do you think of the project?
Ahmed Partey: I got an invite from Manta XR, and he was one of the earliest collectors of my work. The project is unique and the only NFT collaborative project where all the participating artists are acknowledged. Other massive NFT projects go on, and people don’t even know the artist names. I think it is the best NFT collaborative project. It might not have generated revenue like crypto punks and others, but the unique way that works from over 60 artists merge by the help of AI is incredible.
Who or what are your biggest influences or sources of inspiration?
Ahmed Partey: African masks, African sculptures and symbols.
Is there something specific you are trying to express with your art?
Ahmed Partey: The essence of African masks and how they connect us to the past, present and future.
What do you feel when you are creating new art?
Ahmed Partey: When I’m making new art, I feel my ancestors communicating with me. I feel them guide me through what works of art I am supposed to create because before I make artwork, I honestly don’t have any picture in my head. As I create, the picture reveals itself.
What does a typical day for you look like, and what do you like to do when you’re not busy with NFT Art?
Ahmed Partey: I’m primarily with my wife, making art (traditional or digital) or thinking about art.
- Full Name: Ahmed Kwabena Partey
- Date of Birth: 14th August 1990
- Current hometown: Odumase Krobo, Eastern Region, Ghana West Africa
- Languages she speaks: English, twi, krobo, ga language, pidgin english
- What did you want to be when you were a child: Artist
- Education: National Film and Television Insititute and dropped out third year
- First Job: Graphic designer, but I quit after one year
