By Chelsea Afiba Jayne | 8th November, 2025
In the bustling heart of Accra, amidst the rhythm of daily life and the pulse of creativity, artist Oscar Korbla Mawuli Awuku is redefining how we see the human body, not as a surface for decoration, but as a canvas for cultural memory and spiritual dialogue.
Awuku, the founder and creative director of Yonga Arts, has dedicated his career to developing Anansinisim, a body art philosophy that merges painting, photography, and performance to tell stories rooted in African identity and experience. His practice stands as both personal reflection and cultural preservation, bridging the wisdom of the ancestors with the contemporary language of art.
“My journey began here in Accra,” Awuku shares. “I started developing my practice independently long before I had access to formal training.”
For him, art was never simply about technique, it was about remembrance, transformation, and understanding. One of the earliest and most defining moments in his artistic path occurred when he was about six years old. While playing in his grandmother’s compound, a group of masquerades appeared, dancing to the rhythm of traditional African drums. The scene terrified him at the time. He hid under the bed until the drumming faded away. Yet, years later, that childhood fear became the seed of a lifelong fascination.
Awuku earned a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Commercial Art (Painting) in 2021 and a Bachelor of Technology in Studio Practice (Painting) in 2023.
“When I began studying Visual Art at Mawuli School,” he recalls, “I finally understood the depth of those performances, the way ritual, movement, and symbolism preserve identity and collective memory.”
That realization became the spiritual foundation of Anansinisim. Drawing inspiration from Ghanaian Adinkra symbols and the myth of Ananse the Spider, Awuku created a new visual language, one that celebrates resilience, wisdom, and transformation. Through his intricate body paintings, he transforms the skin into a living archive. Each pattern carries meaning, invoking protection, rebirth, and the shared consciousness of African heritage.
Over time, Anansinisim has evolved beyond body painting into a multidisciplinary practice combining visual art, photography, performance, and education. It represents a philosophy of connection, between people, between history and present, and between art and life itself.
On 26th September 2025, Awuku reached another milestone with the publication of his debut book, Anansinisim. The book documents his artistic journey, explores the philosophy behind the movement, and features selected works that illustrate how art can be both spiritual and socially conscious.
The launch of Anansinisim coincided with his solo exhibition Anansinisim: Body of Oracle., curated by Eric Nana Yaw Agyare, and hosted at the Accra Arts Centre, Centre for National Culture. The event brought together cultural leaders, artists, and supporters from across Ghana. It was graced by Togbi James Ocloo V, Paramount Chief of Keta, and Togbi Kludzehe IV, the Afetorfia of Ho-Bankoe, alongside dignitaries from the National Commission on Culture and Jade Enjoli Gold.
For many who attended, the exhibition was more than an art show, it was a spiritual experience. Through the painted bodies, photographs, and installations, visitors encountered the stories and symbols that shape the collective African soul. Each piece in the exhibition acted as a mirror, inviting the audience to see themselves not only as observers but as part of the story being told.
Awuku’s work continues to expand through new mediums and collaborations. Under Yonga Arts, he has also developed creative products like a custom Ludu game, inspired by his body art patterns and photographs, designed to make African art more interactive and accessible to broader audiences. He sees such projects as bridges between tradition and modernity, ways to engage younger generations with culture through play, design, and storytelling.
Looking ahead, Awuku envisions Anansinisim as more than a movement, as a living archive of African expression. His upcoming plans include a documentary series that will follow his travels across Africa and the world, using his art to connect people through shared stories and cultural exchange.
“The goal,” he says, “is not only to showcase my art but to use it as a lens, to listen, to learn, and to collaborate with others. Every community has stories written on their skin and in their spirits. Through Anansinisim, I want to help reveal those stories.”
As Yonga Arts continues to grow, the vision remains clear: to make art a vessel for healing, education, and transformation. For Awuku, the body is both temple and text, a sacred space where history breathes, where stories are painted, and where culture continues to live.