Podcast Summary: Musah Swallah’s Pop-Up Exhibit Brings Ghanaian and Western Art to Chelsea

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart, WNYC
Episode Date: January 21, 2026
Guest: Musah Swallah, Ghanaian artist
Exhibit: "Between Worlds" at Ethan Cohen Gallery, Chelsea

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the creative journey and artistic philosophy of Musah Swallah, whose current show "Between Worlds" fuses Ghanaian and Western influences through vivid, textured portraiture in diverse mediums. Host Alison Stewart leads a warm and insightful conversation with Swallah about his unconventional materials, signature stylistic elements, the cultural dialogue his work provokes, and the themes of representation and celebration at the heart of his portraits.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power and Inspiration of Portraiture

• Swallah discusses his transition from abstract art to portraiture, inspired by his father’s encouragement to paint recognizable figures.
  • "My dad used to ask me, how do you draw without putting eyes or nose, stuff like that...So I got interested in doing portraits." (01:19, Musah Swallah)
• His first portrait of his mother earned his father's surprise and praise, which catalyzed his ongoing focus on painting people.

Experimenting with Mediums: Wood and Cork

• Swallah’s resourceful use of wood stems from his upbringing in Ghana, a country rich in timber.
  • "I started painting with wood...just to get some kind of feel of a different medium. So my first time doing that...the outcome was something very big...At a point in time they called me the wood artist." (02:11, Musah Swallah)
• His method includes carving and shaping wood for textural, dimensional effect, likening his approach to the architecture of Manhattan skyscrapers once he moved to New York.
• During the pandemic, with limited materials at hand, he turned to wine corks, creating new works from everyday objects.
  • "Most people think I drink a lot, when they see my cork paintings. I don't drink at all...so I decided to just use what I have in creating that piece." (04:27, Musah Swallah)

Swallah’s Command of Color

• Swallah’s bold palette is rooted in his early art education in Ghana, where bright colors were encouraged.
  • "We are discouraged from using darker colors...I got used to brighter colors way, way back from school." (05:40, Musah Swallah)
• He describes his strategic color choices—light for backgrounds, deep colors for figures—for visual clarity and impact.
  • "I use lighter colors for the background, deeper colors for the figures, so people can easily view the painting." (06:22, Musah Swallah)

Signature Series: Invisible Hair and Representation

• The "Invisible Hair" series features subjects whose hair blends into the background, a stylistic choice prompted by Swallah's observation of Americans dyeing and styling their hair in bold ways.
  • "I started a series that I titled Invisible Hair...I got the idea of having portraits and blending the hair into the background, using that as negative space in my artwork." (07:14, Musah Swallah)
• The absence of hair invites the viewer to imagine, interact, and recognize Swallah’s unique style.
  • "I'm trying to make it a signature for my painting...So it's intentional that I left it for people to interact with the paintings, try to guess the shape, the size..." (08:51, Musah Swallah)

Portraits of Artists at Work

• Swallah paints fellow artists in their studios, both as homage and documentation of the artistic process, celebrating under-recognized peers.
  • "I'm like trying to celebrate most of these artists that people don't celebrate, especially where I'm coming from...As an artist, I feel like I need to celebrate my colleagues." (09:34, Musah Swallah)
• The works give viewers a glimpse beyond finished pieces into studio life.
  • "Most people don't see the kind of process that artists go through...They only see the finished product." (10:46, Musah Swallah)

The Hijab Series: Beauty, Identity, and Empowerment

• Swallah’s "Hijab" series, central to the show, portrays Muslim women from his hometown, challenging standards of beauty and advocating confidence in traditional dress and dark skin.
  • "You can still be Black and be beautiful. You can still have your hijab and still be beautiful...People will see that you are beauty." (12:13, Musah Swallah)
• The series resonates with and is embraced by its subjects.
  • "Most of them liked it because I'm trying to paint their picture and display it for people to see...When they see me posting this kind of pictures on Instagram, they love it." (13:26, Musah Swallah)

Studio Practices and Creative Environment

• Swallah reflects on the importance of a welcoming, clean studio space—his own "office"—to invite visitors and foster creativity.
  • "I have to make sure everything is nice and clean...My studio was just like, like an office to me and I need to take it seriously." (14:18, Musah Swallah)

Artistic Influences: Honoring the Diaspora

• The artists who inspire Swallah include Amoako Boafo, James Marshall, and Amy Sherald.
  • "Amoako Boafo inspired me a lot...I also have James Marshall...I got really inspired by his painting...Amy Sherald—yes." (15:08, Musah Swallah)
• Swallah also paints portraits of these influential figures, as part of his Artists in Studios series, creating a visual lineage and dialogue across the diaspora.

Swallah’s Versatility and Message to Viewers

• Swallah encourages viewers to notice his wide range of mediums in "Between Worlds," underlining that he isn’t confined to one practice.
  • "I just want people to see the kind of art that I do. I'm not limiting myself to only one medium...it's just a way of telling people that I can work in different or various medium." (16:35, Musah Swallah)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ghanaian Influence and Working with Wood:
  "Ghana is blessed with a lot of like wood, timber and stuff like that...at a point in time they used to call me the wood artist." (02:11)
• On "Invisible Hair":
  "I intentionally leave it blank for people to just interact with the paintings and stuff like that." (07:14)
• On Artistic Celebration:
  "As an artist, I feel like I need to celebrate my colleagues who are doing very, very well…by painting them in their studios." (09:34)
• On Beauty, Tradition, and the Hijab:
  "You can still be Black and be beautiful. You can still have your hijab and still be beautiful...People will see that you are beauty." (12:13)
• On Artistic Versatility:
  "I'm not limiting myself with only one medium...it's just a way of telling people that I can work in different or various medium." (16:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30 Introduction to Musah Swallah and his "Between Worlds" exhibit
• 01:19 Swallah shares how he was inspired to start portraiture
• 02:11 Discovery and experimentation with painting on wood
• 04:27 The cork paintings and working with found materials during the pandemic
• 05:40 Developing a bold, colorful palette
• 07:14 The "Invisible Hair" series and the concept behind it
• 09:34 Portraying other artists at work as celebration and recognition
• 12:13 The significance of the "Hijab" series and reactions from his community
• 14:18 Swallah on maintaining a creative, welcoming studio environment
• 15:08 Influential artists in Swallah's career and his tributes to them
• 16:35 Swallah encourages viewers to notice his multidisciplinary approach

Episode Tone

The conversation is warm, thoughtful, and celebratory, with Alison Stewart and her team framing Swallah’s stories with admiration and curiosity. Swallah speaks humbly but passionately about his practice, his roots, and his hope for cultural understanding and pride, both in his community and among gallery visitors.

Summary In One Line

Musah Swallah’s "Between Worlds" vibrantly melds mediums, traditions, and perspectives, inviting viewers to reimagine both Ghanaian and Western art through rich color, texture, and the celebration of personal and cultural identity.