Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Gideon Appah's Ghanaian-Inspired Art
Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Alison Stewart (A)
Guest: Gideon Appah (B), Ghanaian Painter
Topic: Exploring the inspirations, themes, and process behind Gideon Appah’s first solo show at Pace Gallery, “Beneath Night and Day.”

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the work and vision of Ghanaian artist Gideon Appah, whose debut solo exhibition at Pace Gallery in New York, “Beneath Night and Day,” captures scenes of Ghana’s beach life, festival traditions, and layered storytelling through painting and film. Appah and host Alison Stewart explore how his lived experiences and memory shape his creative process, the connection between film and painting, and the cultural resonance of his subjects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Inspiration from Ghanaian Beach Life

• Origin of the Series:

  • Gideon’s frequent visits to Busua Beach, about six hours from Ghana’s capital, greatly influenced his recent work.
  • First visited in 2022 for leisure; returned in 2025 with the intent to film and document the scenes for his artwork.
  • Quote:

    “I was actually struck by the lifestyle of the people and then they were fishermen. That was actually the very first time I had that kind of close encounter with water, like getting into water, like with the sea.” (02:00-02:32)

• Atmosphere and Aesthetics:

  • Describes the beach culture as freeing and relaxed, with music, bonfires, and a "simple life."
  • Horses and evening bonfires contributed to the paintings' sense of peace and freedom.
  • Quote:

    “There's the freedom. The freedom and the relaxation... it was a very, very simple life that I experienced there.” (03:36-04:07)

2. Creative Process: Blending Memory and Documentation

• Photo & Film Integration:
  • Paintings like “Bathers and Boats” feature figures inspired both by his imagination and direct reference to photographs taken during filming.
  • Blurs the line between real individuals and remembered scenes.
  • Quote:

    “I was first working with imagination of people and also working with straight from the photographs of them.” (04:35-05:00)

3. Highlighting Community Activities

• “Target Practice” Painting:
  • Depicts locals playfully engaging in archery at the beach—a contemporary, communal activity Appah witnessed in 2023.
  • The painting and the accompanying film influenced each other, reflecting the interplay of still and moving images in his storytelling.
  • Quote:

    “The film did influence the painting as well. And the painting also did influence the film.” (06:27-06:43)

4. Film Component: “Beyond the Shadows”

• Purpose and Impact:
  • Included to add “volume” and narrative depth to the paintings, particularly dense works like “Target Practice.”
  • Uses symbolic repetition and color, e.g., the red-and-white target circles, for compositional harmony.
  • Quote:

    “I was trying to find that kind of harmony within the work. And when I painted a target. Red, white. Red, white. It became a repetition of color... it helped to bring the work together.” (07:36-08:17)

• Voiceover Collaboration:
  • Features a poem written and performed by Ghanaian poet Puertra Asantoa.
  • The poet viewed the film before crafting lines, making the work highly responsive to the visual narrative.
  • Quote (Poem Excerpt by Puertra Asantoa):

    “To become yourself is no gentle work. The self resists, twists. Even hides. Yet it is yours and yours alone to shape into something whole.” (08:35-09:00)

5. Large-Scale Storytelling in Paintings

• “Night Catch” Analysis:
  • Used for show promotion, the image is a cropping of a much larger scene with a fisherman, a rescued turtle, a man with a bird on his head, boats, and more.
  • The painting was constructed in stages, starting with individual episodes before layering together into a broader narrative.
  • Quote:

    “I painted that one in various steps. It did first start with the gentleman with the bird on top of his head... there was this guy trying to rescue [a turtle] from the water... it’s all a part of also storytelling.” (10:47-11:52)

6. Festival Traditions: “Young Masquerade”

• Cultural Context:
  • The vibrant portrait depicts a Ghanaian drummer in traditional masquerade attire, referencing West Ghana’s Takradi and Winiba festivals.
  • Children parade with brass bands, collecting sweets—a festival Appah observed firsthand while filming.
  • The painting stands out with distinct red backgrounds to make the figure "pop."
  • Quote:

    “His dressing is very typical of a festival in Ghana... they dress up like masquerades... I happened to see them around. So it kind of like popped in my head. I would like to try to see if I can paint this thing.” (12:41-14:02)

7. Interweaving Day and Night

• Exhibition Title:
  • “Beneath Night and Day” alludes to the ambiguous time settings in his paintings—often indeterminate between day and night, spanning multiple moods and events.
  • Quote:

    “The paintings, the atmosphere in the paintings, you can't really tell whether it's night or day. Like it falls within various... hours of the day through darks and dawn and throughout the mornings and then the afternoons.” (14:24-15:12)

8. Personal Reflections and Gallery Debut

• On His Studio:
  • Located in Accra, Ghana, which he misses, but is excited for the current phase.
• Significance of the Solo Show:
  • His first solo in New York after previous group shows with Pace; signifies a milestone in his career.
  • Quote:

    “It's a very, very big deal... Now this is the time that I have to come to New York and, and show these beautiful paintings.” (15:27-16:08)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On artistic storytelling:

  “It’s all a part of also storytelling. You’re looking at the events of your travels or what you’re doing, and then you put them into a painting.” (11:52)

• On creative harmony:

  “I was trying to find that kind of harmony within the work... it helped to bring the work together.” (08:06)

• On collaboration with the poet:

  “She kind of went into her element after seeing the film... It was just a perfect match.” (09:11-09:35)

• On the meaning of the show’s title:

  “The atmosphere in the paintings, you can't really tell whether it's night or day.” (14:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:00] Origin story: Busua Beach’s impact on Appah’s art
• [03:36] Elements of freedom and relaxation depicted
• [05:38] The playful archery scene: “Target Practice”
• [06:49] Incorporating film into the exhibit
• [08:24] The voiceover poem by Puertra Asantoa
• [09:55] “Night Catch” and constructing layered narratives on canvas
• [12:19] “Young Masquerade” and Ghanaian festival culture
• [14:31] Meaning behind “Beneath Night and Day”
• [15:27] Reflections on the significance of a solo show at Pace Gallery

Tone and Style

The conversation is warm, exploratory, and collaborative. Alison Stewart fosters enthusiasm and genuine curiosity, while Appah responds with humility and openness about his process and Ghanaian heritage. Their exchange is easygoing, thoughtfully unpacking both technical and emotional dimensions of Appah's art.

Final Note

For listeners or gallery-goers interested in how place, memory, and community life are transmuted into contemporary African art, this episode provides rich insight into the unique vision of Gideon Appah and the multilayered worlds behind each painting in “Beneath Night and Day.” The show is on display at Pace Gallery, 510 W. 25th St., New York, through February 26, 2026.