Kweku Yeboah (b. 1995) lives and works in Accra, Ghana. He grew up in various regions of Ghana including Kumasi, Accra and the Volta Region. His creative journey began in an all boys school at the age of 16, where he was enrolled as a response to familial discomfort with his femininity. Within these constraints, he discovered his artistic calling. Yeboah explored and transformed thrift market finds into unique expressions of style that resonated with his burgeoning identity. He successfully sold them to schoolmates to pay for his school fees. Eventually, cast out from the home, he paved a path to becoming a stylist, creative director and photographer.

Yeboah’s visual narrative explores themes of gender identity, masculinity and freedom. His work pushes the boundaries of African societal values that restrict men’s free rein of expression. Yeboah presents his unique vision of how men in Africa, and more specifically Ghana, should express or respond to their feelings. He tells the story of the free-spirited; confident individuals shaped by their culture, provoked by their emotions. His series Defying Shadows is not just a collection of photographs; it is his testament to resilience, individuality, and the transformative power of art in defying the shadows of societal norms. Yeboah is the people, a reflection of their community, social life, religion and the freedom of youth. Embracing the street or the coastline as his studio, sunlight as his strobe light, and disintegrating walls for a backdrop, Yeboah strives to “comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”. Through Yeboah’s distinctive style, Defying Shadows celebrates self expression, acceptance and unity.