Fingertips (2019)

"The last time Gye W’ani was here,

she tuned our piano…

Her hands are magical !

 I always knew that."

This work is about the taste for knowledge within a household. It is depicted here through a father and daughter special moment but also with this huge frame on the wall.

Nea onnim is the Adinkra symbol for knowledge, life-long education and continued quest for knowledge. It is from the Akan proverb ‘’Nea onnim no sua a, ohu’’ meaning ‘’He who doesn’t know can know from learning ‘’. This scene happens at the moment when a little girl finds her passion and decides to pursue it.

Hearing her father playing the piano made her abandon her Teddy bear on the floor and go to him asking for music lessons.

Her pointing finger says it all : ‘’Daddy, teach me, I want to learn !’’. And the father realizes that he has now a new mission. A mission he will be so proud to accomplish ! Remember the motto of that house is hanging on the wall 😉. This man’s fingertips on the piano actually made a call to his daughter’s fingertips… Now, is the little girl just pointing to the keyboard or is there something else?

 If you look closely you will see an other important Adinkra symbol for this painting on the side of the piano. It is called ‘’Kyemfere’’, the potsherds. It is symbol of experience, knowledge, heirloom, antiquity, and humility. It conveys the belief that experience comes with age. So, while asking for piano lessons, this already wise little girl is showing her determination ‘’I am still young but the sooner I learn, the better. I want YOU to teach me’’. And at the same time she is reminding her father that he also isn’t done with studying and must keep on playing to continuously improve his skill. An encouragement to her dad and also the faith she has placed in him…

This is all I want to say about this painting here. There is more about it but I choose to let you make your own further understanding of it. Look closely ! 😉

« The last time Gye W’ani was here,

she tuned our piano…

Her hands are magical !

 I always knew that.»

            .....................................

This work is about the taste for knowledge within a household. It is depicted here through a father and daughter special moment but also with this huge frame on the wall.

Nea onnim is the Adinkra symbol for knowledge, life-long education and continued quest for knowledge. It is from the Akan proverb ‘’Nea onnim no sua a, ohu’’ meaning ‘’He who doesn’t know can know from learning ‘’. This scene happens at the moment when a little girl finds her passion and decides to pursue it.

Hearing her father playing the piano made her abandon her Teddy bear on the floor and go to him asking for music lessons.

Her pointing finger says it all : ‘’Daddy, teach me, I want to learn !’’. And the father realizes that he has now a new mission. A mission he will be so proud to accomplish ! Remember the motto of that house is hanging on the wall 😉. This man’s fingertips on the piano actually made a call to his daughter’s fingertips… Now, is the little girl just pointing to the keyboard or is there something else?

 If you look closely you will see an other important Adinkra symbol for this painting on the side of the piano. It is called ‘’Kyemfere’’, the potsherds. It is symbol of experience, knowledge, heirloom, antiquity, and humility. It conveys the belief that experience comes with age. So, while asking for piano lessons, this already wise little girl is showing her determination ‘’I am still young but the sooner I learn, the better. I want YOU to teach me’’. And at the same time she is reminding her father that he also isn’t done with studying and must keep on playing to continuously improve his skill. An encouragement to her dad and also the faith she has placed in him…

This is all I want to say about this painting here. There is more about it but I choose to let you make your own further understanding of it. Look closely ! 😉