Over the past decade, while the visibility of artists of color has grown, the powerful narratives of Black women artists have often remained underexplored. Mimi Adu-Serwaah, a Ghanaian-born multidisciplinary artist now based in Washington, D.C., stands out as one of these transformative voices, exploring themes of resilience, identity, womanhood, and belonging through her compelling body of work.
Born in 1994, Adu-Serwaah’s journey to becoming an artist began with a foundation in pharmacy. She earned her doctorate from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2019, but it wasn’t until the 2020 pandemic lockdown that she discovered her passion for art. What began as a creative outlet during this time quickly evolved into a dedicated artistic practice that blends abstraction with figurative realism.
Adu-Serwaah uses materials like aluminum wire mesh, raffia, stone beads, and reclaimed acrylic fragments, creating textured compositions that blur the lines between painting and sculpture.
Artistic Journey and Major Exhibitions
Her art challenges traditional boundaries and reimagines Ghanaian contemporary art, focusing on the act of reconstruction — an ongoing process of reclaiming and reshaping both her own identity and broader cultural narratives. Through her innovative use of materials and intricate layered textures, Adu-Serwaah constructs works that evoke both disintegration and renewal, inviting viewers to engage with complex stories of transformation.
Adu-Serwaah’s artistic journey has been marked by a series of notable exhibitions and residencies that have elevated her profile internationally. Her debut solo exhibition, Besides My Beauty (March 2022), held at Allouche Gallery in Los Angeles, was a turning point in her career. Curated by Isabella June Stogel, the exhibition featured works that celebrated identity, beauty, and personal narrative through ambitious shapes and multidimensional techniques. This debut showcased her dedication to presenting the intersectionality of beauty, sisterhood, and the Black experience.
Later in 2022, Adu-Serwaah made her museum debut at the Institute Museum of Ghana, inaugurating the museum’s exhibition program. She has also participated in significant group exhibitions, including Chilli Art Projects in London (2022), the Luanda Biennale in Angola (2021), and Matters of Essence II at Kó Artspace in Lagos, Nigeria (2024), where her installations Lavascape and The Turtle Found Home were particularly well-received.
Residencies and Recognition
Adu-Serwaah’s participation in prestigious residencies has further enriched her artistic approach. She served as a visiting fellow at the Noldor Art Residency in 2021 and 2023, where she experimented with interdisciplinary techniques.
Notably, she completed a six-week residency at the ARD South Art Residency in Cairo, Egypt, starting on June 21, 2023. These experiences provided her with opportunities to expand her practice beyond traditional painting into sculptural and installation art.
Her innovative approach and exploration of intersectional themes earned her a nomination for the Norval Sovereign African Art Prize 2023 for her work Familiarly Different (2022).
Themes, Materials, and Artistic Growth
Mimi Adu-Serwaah’s work is rooted in themes of transformation, resilience, and identity. As her practice evolves, she continues to explore these themes through new forms and materials.
She uses acrylic compound, nylon net, aluminum mesh, plastic raffia, stone beads, and metallic hues to convey concepts of entrapment, connection, lineage, endurance, and reconstruction. Her use of colourful marbling techniques and layered textures underscores the fluidity of identity and beauty. In her most recent exhibition, The Alchemy of Colour and Matter (March 14 – April 27, 2025) at Allouche Gallery, Adu-Serwaah delves deeper into sculptural abstract installations, showcasing how structure and fluidity coexist.
Through pieces like Healing Touch (2024) and Vulnerable Gaze (2024), she examines how strength and vulnerability intersect, often using metallic hues to reflect resilience and transformation.
Mimi Adu-Serwaah’s practice continues to evolve, making her a compelling force in the contemporary art scene. Her commitment to exploring the complexities of identity, heritage, and resilience resonates with audiences both locally and internationally. As she pushes the boundaries of her creative expression, Adu-Serwaah is redefining her own artistic journey while contributing to the broader narrative of contemporary Ghanaian female art.
