Arthur Timothy Ghana, b. 1957

Arthur Timothy is an artist and architect, whose artworks depict close family members and autobiographical events, specifically in Accra, where the artist was born in the year Ghana gained independence from colonial rule, and Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he lived until the age of 9. His large-scale oil paintings are inspired by an archive of photographs found amongst his father's papers which encourage considered and nuanced responses frozen in time. In fresh washes of colour, the artist presents images that are underpinned by memory, both personal and political. 

Timothy attended Queen’s College in Taunton, England before studying Architecture at The University of Sheffield and setting up his architectural practice, Timothy Associates, in 1986. After decades of practising as a RIBA Chartered Architect, the artist embarked on his career as a painter in 2018. Solo exhibitions include: Postcards from a Promised Land, Gallery 1957, London (2022-3); Insight, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery - Insight (online) (2020); Grandma’s Hands, Gallery 1957, Accra, Ghana (2021), Curated by Ekow Eshun. The artist’s group presentations include: In and Out of time,  Gallery 1957, Accra, Ghana (2023), Curated by Ekow Eshun; UNLIMITED II, Gallery1957, Accra, Ghana; Fire Figure Fantasy: Selections from ICA Miami’s Collection, ICA Miami, USA (2022); The Storytellers, Gallery 1957, London, UK (2022);  [West] African Renaissance, Christies, Dubai, UAE (2021); Introducing Arthur Timothy + Juan Miguel Quiñones, Ronchini Gallery, London, UK (2020);  Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (2019).

Timothy’s work is included in the permanent collection of the V&A + RIBA Drawings Collection, UK; Lloyds of London, UK and ICA Miami’s Permanent Collection, USA, The Dean Collection, USA. He’s also been featured in a number of publications including: Apollo Magazine, The Financial Times, FT ‘How to Spend It’ Magazine, Nataal Magazine, Something Curated, Forbes Magazine, GQ; and architectural publications including Architects Journal, Building, the Sunday Times and The Observer. Arthur Timothy has also been a guest on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Saturday Live’ .