The contemporary art world continually seeks voices that can translate global concerns through deeply personal yet universally accessible visual languages. Among them, Joshua Oheneba Takyi, a twenty-eight-year-old artist and researcher from Ghana, is rapidly asserting himself as a compelling figure. Known for a practice centered on painting, with an evolving focus, Joshua’s trajectory has already taken him across international stages, from the Saatchi Gallery in London and Gallery 1957 in Accra to the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Paris. His work is held in significant collections, including the Dean Collection and the Sir David Adjaye Collection, signaling a substantial recognition of his unique vision. This latest project, a solo debut in Italy, marks a pivotal moment, shifting his gaze from the human figure to a deceptively simple, universally available object: the plastic chair.
This new exhibition, “The Silent Allegory of a Universal Chair,“ presented at Shazar Gallery in Naples, Italy, and running from September 12th to November 8th, 2025, is a concentrated study of this motif. Joshua unveils fifteen canvases where he masterfully employs silkscreen printing to explore the chair not as mere furniture, but as a dense symbolic form. It functions as a potent threshold—a conceptual space where body meets space, memory intersects with gesture, and power is defined by absence. Dominating the compositions, these chairs are amplified, multiplied, or rendered in ethereal, linear forms, becoming archetypes of human universality. The exhibition’s philosophical gravity lies in its invitation to see the ordinary with fresh eyes, asking what a humble, mass-produced object can reveal about the complexities of our shared global existence, touching upon themes of dominance, fragility, speed, and silence.
Guiding this nuanced exploration is the acclaimed curator Domenico de Chirico, whose vision has shaped the exhibition’s narrative and philosophical depth. Domenico frames the chair as an “active element” and a “silent guardian of countless stories,” highlighting its dual nature as both a functional support and a relic of lived experience. His curatorial text places Joshua’s work in conversation with profound philosophical thought—from the phenomenology of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty to the ecological relationality of Latour and the ‘aura’ concerns of Benjamin—while also drawing parallels to the historical use of the chair in Baroque painting as a signifier of power. The exhibition, therefore, is not simply a display of paintings but a layered, visual meditation on contemporary life. Africans Column had the distinct opportunity to sit down with Joshua Oheneba Takyi and Domenico de Chirico to discuss the conceptual bedrock, the creative process, and the resonant silence of the universal chair.
A Silent Dialogue: The Chair as Universal Witness
The conversation began, as any focused interrogation must, by asking the artist to account for the single, ubiquitous object that has hijacked his canvas: the white plastic chair.
Africans Column: The chair—particularly the white plastic chair—sits at the center of your exhibition. What drew you to this seemingly ordinary object, and how did it evolve into a symbol of memory, power, and absence in your work?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: My interest in the white plastic chair began with what seemed like a banal question: why is this chair so pervasive? This cliche question, however, unfolded into a complex network of social, economic, and cultural implications. The chair’s ubiquity gestures toward histories of mass production, global circulation, and social hierarchy. It operates simultaneously as a utilitarian object and a cultural symbol; embodying ideas of mobility, power, and the collective memory of human presence and absence.
Africans Column: Growing up in Kumasi and now working in Accra, how have your personal and cultural experiences shaped your perception of the chair? Are there specific Ghanaian or broader African contexts that inform its role in your paintings?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: Growing up in Kumasi and now working from Creccents Studio in Accra, I find myself constantly surrounded by the plastic chair. I see it everywhere; in churches and clubs, on beaches and in gardens, along street corners and under trees. It wasn’t until I began paying closer attention that I realised how much of a rhythm it carries within everyday life, quietly shaping how people gather, rest, and relate to one another. Within the Ghanaian and broader African context, the chair holds deeper social and cultural meaning. I’ve been particularly drawn to its foreign design and how deeply it has penetrated the fabric of African societies, almost naturalised into our visual and social landscape. In my work, these experiences converge. The chair becomes both subject and metaphor, it is a vessel through which I explore our shared realities, histories, and the subtle shifts in how we coexist. Through isolation, repetition, and recontextualisation, I try to reveal the quiet poetry and complexity embedded in this seemingly ordinary object.
Africans Column: As curator, how did you approach framing Joshua’s exploration of the chair so it resonates with Italian and international audiences at Shazar Gallery?
Domenico de Chirico: I focused on the chair as a universal symbol — familiar yet conceptually rich — capable of connecting diverse cultural imaginaries. Its silent presence speaks a global language made of absence, power, personal and collective stories, memory, and fragility, resonating across different contexts around the world.
The Shift from Figure to Archetype
The discussion pivoted to the bold technical decisions driving the exhibition, specifically Joshua’s deliberate movement away from the human figure and the introduction of silkscreen printing.
Africans Column: Your practice has moved from figuration into exploring the chair as an archetypal form, with new experimentation in silkscreen. How do these technical choices transform the chair from an object into an idea?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: From the early days of my practice, I’ve been interested in changing how the chair sits within a painting. In many traditional European paintings, especially those of the old masters, the chair usually appears in the background usually there to support the figure or complete the composition. I have always been interested in subverting this convention by reversing the visual hierarchy: bringing the chair forward and pushing the human subject into the background, or sometimes removing it completely. This shift isn’t simply conceptual; it’s about meaning. When I isolate the chair, it starts to stand on its own, no longer just a piece of furniture, but something that carries its own weight and story. It becomes an archetype through which questions of presence, absence, and embodiment are negotiated. In this new body of work, working with silkscreen has helped me explore these ideas further. The process of layering and repeating the image echoes how the plastic chair exists in real life; everywhere, familiar, and quietly powerful. In this way, the chair becomes more than an object; it becomes an idea that speaks to both the everyday and the symbolic.
Africans Column: Many of your works depict chairs as empty yet imbued with presence. How do you navigate this interplay of absence and evocation, and what does it reveal about the human condition?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: The empty chair has always fascinated me because it holds a quiet kind of presence. Even when no one is sitting in it, you can almost feel the trace of a person who was there, or imagine someone who might return. That in-between state; between what’s visible and what’s implied is something I find deeply human.
Africans Column: Your compositions often draw on Baroque traditions, where sitting symbolised power and dominance. How do your moulded plastic chairs engage with or challenge this historical narrative today?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: Yes, I’ve always been intrigued by how, in Baroque painting, the act of sitting was tied to power, status, and control. The chair in those compositions wasn’t just functional, it was a signifier of authority, often reserved for figures of influence or divinity. That visual language stayed with me. In contrast, the moulded plastic chair represents a complete shift in that narrative. It’s democratic and ubiquitous; everyone sits on it, regardless of class or background. Yet, in that same accessibility lies a quiet commentary on global production, consumption, and value. It’s mass-produced, lightweight, and easily broken, which says something about how power circulates in our contemporary world, now more diffused, yet still uneven. By placing the plastic chair at the centre of my compositions, I’m interested in how a once royal or sacred symbol has been transformed into something ordinary, almost disposable. It challenges ideas of who deserves comfort, visibility, and permanence. In that sense, these chairs not only carry traces of history but also reflect our shifting ideas of power and belonging today.
Philosophy, Ecology, and Lasting Impact
The conversation shifted to the philosophical and environmental layers underpinning the show, the symbiotic relationship between artist and curator, and the lasting vision for the work.
Africans Column: The exhibition draws on thinkers like Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, Benjamin, and Latour, alongside art historical references from Rubens to Van Dyck. How did these influences inform your curatorial approach, and why were they essential here?
Domenico de Chirico: These thinkers offer essential tools for understanding the body, perception, memory, and ecology — all central themes in Joshua’s work. The art historical references, on the other hand, highlight the shift from hierarchical portraiture to democratic symbolism. Together, these influences enrich the exhibition’s philosophical and visual layers, providing insights that allow for a more nuanced reading of the work.
Africans Column: The exhibition hints at ecological undertones—the plastic chair as both ubiquitous and impermanent. How intentional was this layer in your work, and what role do you see art playing in raising ecological awareness?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: The ecological layer in my work emerged naturally, as the plastic chair itself carries the conversation of ecology within it. While I didn’t set out to make an environmental statement, this awareness is inseparable from the material itself: the chair becomes a metaphor for our relationship with the things we create, how easily we multiply them, and how little we consider their afterlife. I believe art engages ecological questions not by instructing, but by opening space for reflection.
Africans Column: You’ve described the exhibition as both “a visual meditation” and “a lyrical, critical atlas of our convoluted present.” What makes Joshua’s work particularly timely in relation to today’s social, political, and ecological contexts?
Domenico de Chirico: Joshua’s work is timely because it communicates through silence. The plastic chair — a fragile, mass-produced object — becomes a symbol of globalization, forced displacement, and ecological precarity, all of which are more urgent than ever today. His practice transforms this overlooked object into a site of deep critical awareness.
Africans Column: This exhibition draws on philosophy, ecology, and art history. How have these interdisciplinary influences shaped your respective practices of creating and curating?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi & Domenico de Chirico: While philosophy deepens Joshua’s exploration of presence and absence, ecological concerns anchor his work in contemporary urgency. For my part as curator, these perspectives help build a layered narrative, inclusive of additional, unexpected, and fresh interpretative perspectives, resonating both intellectually and emotionally, thereby creating a meaningful bridge between disciplines. We should add that our vision developed through a continuous, kind, generous, and fruitful dialogue, balancing Joshua’s artistic and poetic intuition with the curatorial framework, and precisely for this reason, there were no tensions of any kind.
Africans Column: As the exhibition runs through November 8, 2025, what lasting impact do you both hope it will have—on viewers, the art world, or even on each other’s practices?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi: I hope viewers leave the exhibition with a renewed awareness of the ordinary. Recognising that even something as ordinary as a plastic chair holds memory, presence, and quiet stories. I want them to feel the rhythm of absence and repetition, to sense the traces of human life embedded in the simplest forms. Beyond analysis, I hope the work stirs imagination, empathy, and reflection, leaving a subtle echo of contemplation that lingers long after they have left the gallery.
Domenico de Chirico: We hope the exhibition invites ongoing reflection on the complexity of the ordinary and on the intertwined identity and ecological crisis. Ideally, we would like it to inspire, as much as possible, the consideration of everyday objects — and art itself — as catalysts for deeper understanding and greater responsibility. Finally, we very much hope to conclude this wonderful exhibition with a finissage featuring Joshua’s presence. We would all be truly delighted!
The interview concluded with an acknowledgment of the exhibition’s significance as a “visual meditation” and “critical atlas,” a truly timely work in our convoluted present. As for the artist’s future, when asked: This marks a turning point in your practice. Do you see yourself continuing with the chair as a universal motif, or are there other objects and ideas you’re eager to explore next?
Joshua Oheneba Takyi stated: The chair has been central to my practice because of its universality and its ability to hold memory, embodying both presence and absence. I see it continuing as a motif for the foreseeable future, even as my work evolves. My focus remains on the ordinary and mundane as a lens into the human experience, and I’m equally interested in exploring other everyday objects that carry the same quiet weight and resonance.
And finally, on the future of the collaboration: Joshua is a rising artist making his Italian solo debut. What first drew you to his practice, and do you envision further collaborations with him—or with other emerging African artists—moving forward?
Domenico de Chirico offered this view: I was struck by the conceptual clarity and emotional depth of his work. His ability to transform the ordinary into something metaphysical is rare. His mastery in exploring the human condition, between values and imperfections, presence and absence, is remarkable. I absolutely see potential for future collaborations — both with him and with other emerging voices from the African continent.
