Insight into Okaikoi's contemporary African wall art
Behind the Art: Inside the Okaikoi Studio
Every Okaikoi piece starts with a language.
Ga is the mother tongue of the Ga people of Accra, Ghana, a language centuries old, yet one that isn't promoted as much as it deserves, and risks fading as generations become global citizens. Okaikoi was born from that fact. The brand fuses contemporary design with the visual language of the Ga people as well as the Ga Samai (symbols) to keep the language alive, visible and celebrated. Even the name carries the mission: Okaikoi is the maiden name of founder Kukueley's grandmother.
In this film, Kukueley opens up her London studio and shares how the work comes to life.
Happy Accidents and Sharp Lines
A day in the studio usually starts with a colour whatever Kukueley feels drawn to that morning. From there, designs take shape digitally, and some of the best pieces begin as offcuts from something else entirely. Her influences run through Art Deco, Cubism and Futurism, angles, shapes and sharp lines. The colour wheel is never far away, guiding each piece's palette: sometimes vibrant gradients of warm colour, sometimes cooler, quieter contemporary tones. Once a design is finalised, it's sent to print and from there to homes, offices and restaurants around the world.
Carrying a Legacy Forward
Kukueley is part of the Ghanaian diaspora, raised in London with deep ties to Accra, Jamestown. Her motivation is simple: to contribute to the legacy of the Ga culture for future generations including the nephew who was standing just behind the camera during filming. "We've been great as a people," she says, "and we want to continue that greatness."
Milestones So Far
Kukueley is candid about the hardest part of the journey: self-confidence. "I could be in my studio just beavering away, thinking would anybody like this? Does it look good?" It's a familiar feeling for any artist, and it makes the wins mean more. Okaikoi's artwork was featured in Ama Stories on Sky, with pieces created for a film set screened in cinemas and on national TV. Her first gallery exhibition came in Kensington and Chelsea, featuring the Jubilee Ga Samai piece created to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. With collectors now across the UK, America and Europe, the mission is going exactly where she wants it: global. And the dream callers? "I'm still waiting for Ozwald Boateng and Edward Enninful to call me."
Where the Art Lives
Okaikoi artwork is made to hold a room statement prints for living spaces, hallways and offices, and bespoke pieces specified by interior designers for residential projects, restaurants, boutique hotels and serviced apartments. Every print can be customised in size and colourway to suit the space. If you're working on a project, explore our bespoke and trade services and Kukueley is always happy to receive emails; they're the closest thing to a personal letter.
Okaikoi — the colourful language.
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Video Transcript
"Okaikoi design is a contemporary vision of the Ga people the language, and the Ga Samai symbols discovered within the Ga community. I wanted to infuse contemporary design with designs from the Ga people and bring them together, creating what we have today: Okaikoi designs. The emphasis is to contribute towards the legacy of the Ga culture. In my own experience of going to Ghana, the language is not promoted as much as it should be, even though it has been around for centuries and it's for myself and others to continue that, because it is such a beautiful language and we don't want it to die out. That's how Okaikoi was born. The name Okaikoi is an original Ga name my grandmother's maiden name.
My day starts with making sure everything's fine, then I look at what I feel inspired by normally a particular colour and go onto my computer to create various designs. Many of my designs are offcuts from something completely different: I did it by accident, thought 'I actually like that,' and continued the process. My favourite periods are Art Deco, Cubism and Futurism, I tend to like angles and shapes, so my work is based on that feel. Once a design is finalised, it's sent to the printers, and then it's in your home, or an establishment, a restaurant anywhere really. I'm just so grateful people are enjoying what I've created.
I don't keep many of my own images around me, because I try not to be influenced by what I've previously done once it's done, you look forward to what's in the future. But one piece I do have up was my first exhibited piece in the UK, created for Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee before she passed away. I also still have my old college book learning perspective drawing, using points to create angles and get a sharp line. My work covers gradients from warm colours to cold colours; the colour wheel and my colour reference book help me decide which palette to use you just keep mixing and matching.
My motivation is to contribute towards continuing our legacy for future generations. Although I'm from the diaspora and live in the UK, I have my connection to Ghana, Accra, Jamestown. Behind the camera today is my nephew, who's able to hear and experience what I do and it's for his purpose, and future generations, to understand that as a people we've been great, and we want to continue that greatness.
The challenge I've faced through my Okaikoi journey is self-confidence creating something and thinking, would anybody like it? Does it look good? I could be in my studio just beavering away and not share as much as I should. But my wins: one, I brought Okaikoi to the world pat myself on the back for that. Two, my artwork was featured in Ama Stories on Sky TV. I was invited to provide artwork for the film set, which was screened in the cinema and on national television. Three, being accepted into a gallery exhibition in Kensington and Chelsea, featuring the Jubilee Ga Samai special to me because it was my first gallery exhibition, and I was chosen. But I know they're not the only ones. I'm still waiting for Ozwald Boateng and Edward Enninful to call me.
The future for Okaikoi is continuing the legacy of the Ga language that's most important to me and global expansion. I already have customers in America and Europe, which I'm so grateful for.
You can find my work at okaikoi.com, and on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. I'm always happy to receive emails they're the closest thing to a personal letter."