Feoisugly — The Misfit’s Palette
A self-portrait of Feoisugly
Feoisugly is an illustrator born and raised in Kumasi, Ghana, as one of five in his family. He began his artistic journey early, studying visual arts before pursuing a degree in Communication Design with a focus on film and animation at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. After a brief stint at Mhoseenu Design Studio, he transitioned into freelance work.
His earliest creative influences were cartoons and anime on television, alongside a few Belgian and German comics he stumbled upon at home. Later, he encountered the works of visionaries such as Dr. Ablade Glover, Jean-Michel Basquiat, H. R. Giger, and Moebius — artists whose impact continues to shape his approach. He also draws inspiration from contemporary Ghanaian creatives like Hanson Akatti and Bright Ackwerh, as well as a circle of mentors like Virgil Abloh he refers to as his ‘Senseis’.
Though he’d been sketching since primary school, it wasn’t until university that he discovered digital art — a turning point that cemented his path. What began with portraits of friends, family, and quiet infatuations eventually evolved into cover art for musicians at TubhaniMuzik's studio, where he had also been exploring music production.
His creative wellspring is life itself: the human condition, pop culture, film, music — and more recently, the ephemeral, often ironic brilliance of internet memes. Through these lenses, he tells stories of humanity in all its complexity: the beautiful, the broken, and the in-between. His work seeks to illustrate the invisible threads that bind us all.
Feoisugly’s portfolio includes notable collaborations, such as artwork for Apple Music and cover art for a range of musicians from Ghana and beyond. Since 2017, he’s been working with V. L. K. Djokoto on a series for the Pop Statesman, a comic magazine, and has long-standing creative partnerships with artists like Hashim, ARTGOD, NinetyFiveInc, Jayworks. More recently, he’s worked with Aizebeokai, and Reed, among others — with more collaborations on the horizon.
At the heart of his work is a desire to connect people — to reveal that in the grand narrative, we are all characters playing our parts: heroes, villains, misfits, and pawns. Whatever our role, we are all in this together — and he hopes his art helps others to see that too.
Authored by Lee Gyamfi.