Paintings
About
Patrick Quarm (b. 1988, Ghana) earned his BFA in Painting from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana (2012), and his MFA from Texas Tech University, USA (2018). He currently lives and works between Ghana and the United States.
Quarm’s practice explores identity with a focus on cultural hybridity and social evolution. His multi-layered paintings weave and splice cultural signifiers from different eras and communities, creating complex dialogues between history, memory, and contemporary life.
His work has been presented in numerous exhibitions, including the Ford Foundation, New York, NY; Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE; Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; Moody Center for the Arts, Rice University, Houston, TX; Kunstraum Potsdam, Berlin, DE; Gagosian, London, UK; Library Street Collective, Detroit, MI; K.N.U.S.T. Museum, Kumasi, Ghana; and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI.
Quarm’s work is represented in several public and private collections, including the Syracuse University Art Museum, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, and Ruby City. He has also participated in notable residencies, including the Red Bull Arts Detroit Residency (2019), the NXTHVN Fellowship (2021–2022), and the Artpace International Artist-in-Residence Program in San Antonio.
Artist Statement
Through my paintings, I investigate the ever evolving concept of contemporary identity. Born in Ghana in 1988 and moving to the United States in 2015 to pursue my MFA, I have experienced how identity shifts in response to the narratives that shape different cultural spaces. Living between these contexts, I explore the confrontations that arise within my own identity, which I regard as hybrid. Formed through movement, time, and experience. The body, in this sense, becomes something continually new, beautiful, and transcendent. With this, I ask: What is the new? Who is the new? And how has the new evolved over time?
The subjects of my paintings are often friends, family, and colleagues, each carrying their own layered histories of hybridity. I incorporate African print fabric as both a culturally specific and politically charged material, one that simultaneously reflects global exchange. My process of layering, cutting, and erasure creates a visual topography within the work, shaping texture and depth while inviting viewers into an active engagement with the surface and meaning of the painting.
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EDUCATION
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2015–18 MFA Painting and Drawing, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2008–12 BFA Painting, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Phantoms in Familiar Terrains, Albertz Benda Gallery, New York, New York
SILHOUTTES: Tracing Memory, Artpace, San Antonio, Texas
2020 Salvaged Imperial, Albertz Benda Gallery, New York, New York
2019 Paradox: Surfaces of Self, N’Namdi Contemporary Miami. Miami, Florida
2018 Parallel Identities: Patterns of Place, Satellite Gallery, Lubbock, Texas
2017 There is Only One Side, CASP Studio 4, Lubbock, Texas. Curated by Victoria Marie Bee
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
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​2025 Sensing Meaning, Abstract Painting, Ruby City, San Antonio, Texas
THIS IS NOT A RETREAT! NXTHVN, Ford Foundation, New York, New York
2024 The Space We Exist, Heather Gaudio Fine Art, Greenwich, Connecticut.
2023 NEO-CUSTODIANS: Woven Narrative of Heritage, Cultural Memory, and Belonging, Bemis Center,
Omaha, Nebraska
“Filling in the Pieces in Black”, Maruani Mercier, Brussels/ Saatchi Gallery London
Human Tapestry, Bode Gallery, Berlin, Germany
“Skilled Labor: Black Realism in Detroit”, Cranbrook Museum of Art, Detroit, Michigan
Accra! The Rise of a Global Art Community, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio
PRESENT 23, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio
Rites of Passage, Gagosian, London, England
Narrative Threads, Fiber Art Today, Moody Center for the Arts – Rice University, Houston, TX
2022 Unmasking Masculinity for the 21st Century, Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI
“Undercurrents”, Sean Kelly Gallery, New York, New York
Family Ties, David Klein Gallery, Detroit, Michigan
2021 ONTOLOGY, Ross and Kramer Gallery, New York, New York
Unraveled. Restructured. Revealed: Where Contemporary Art and Diverse Perspectives Intersect,
Trout Museum of Art, Appleton, Wisconsin.
2020 Fragmented Bodies, Albertz Benda Gallery, New York, New York
“Translating Valence”, Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts (UICA). Grand Rapids, MI
“More is More”, Contemporary Art Museum Plainview. Plainview, Texas
BLACK VOICES/BLACK MICROCOSM, CFHIL. Stockholm, Sweden
INSIGHT, Pippy Houldworth Gallery. Mayfair, London
2019 Anansesem, Albertz Benda Gallery, New York, New York
Red Bull Artist in Resident Group Show, Red Bull House of Arts, Detroit, Michigan
SNOW DAY, Thierry Goldberg Gallery, New York, New York.
2018 HOMEMADE, Library Street Art Collective, Detroit, Michigan. Curated by McArthur Binion
Place, Norwest Gallery, Detroit, Michigan. Curated by Asia Hamilton
Oso Bay Biennial XX: Realism Redux, Texas A&M University. Corpus Christi, TX
Rising Eyes of Texas, Rockport Center for the arts, Rockport, Texas. Curated by Rainey Knudson
West Meets West: Illuminated Figures, Caviel Museum of African America History, Lubbock, Texas.
Figure Resuscitation, Satellite Gallery, Lubbock, Texas. Curated by Jeramiah Macha and Samantha
Resendez.
2016 Annual MFA Show, Landmark Gallery, Lubbock, Texas. Curated by Landmark Gallery.
2015 Annual MFA Show, Landmark Gallery, Lubbock, Texas. Curated by Landmark Gallery.
2012 End of Year, K.N.U.S.T Museum, Kumasi, Ghana. Curated by KNUST Museum
2011 Illumination, K.N.U.S.T Museum, Kumasi, Ghana. Curated by Michael Sarkodie
Art, Trade &Technology Fair, K.N.U.S.T Museum, Kumasi, Ghana. Curated by KNUST Museum
2009 Art, Trade &Technology Fair, K.N.U.S.T Museum, Kumasi, Ghana. Curated by KNUST Museum
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
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2024 Artpace San Antonio
2021 NXTHVN Fellowship, New Haven, CT
2019 Red Bull House of Art Artist in Residence, Detroit, MI
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2018 Thomas ‘Curry’ Roberts- Regent Endowment Art Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2017 Alan and Lee Ann White Regents Endowment Visual & Performing Arts, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Graduate Fellowship Award, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2016 Graduate Fellowship Award, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Helen Devitt Jones Talent Based Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2015 Graduate Fellowship Award, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Helen Devitt Jones Talent Based Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
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PUBLICATIONS
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2025 Observer, “Ghanaian Artist Patrick Quarm Explores Hybrid Identities In New York, January 6th, 2025
https://observer.com/2025/01/review-patrick-quam-phantoms-in-familiar-terrain-at-albertz- benda/
2024 New York Times, T Magazine, Patrick Quarm’s Colorful, Fragmented Paintings, on View in New York
December 12, 2024
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/t-magazine/ski-in-chalet-in-the-swiss-alps.html
2023 Cranbrook Art Museum, Skilled Labor: Black Realism in Detroit
https://cranbrookartmuseum.org/exhibition/skilled-labor-black-realism-in-detroit/
Forbes, “A powerful Group Exhibition at Gagosian London Considers Postcolonial Black Identity”. March 31st 2023.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2023/03/31/a-powerful-group-exhibition-at-gagosian-london-considers- postcolonial-black-identity/?sh=6f9ac820ca10
FAD Magazine, “Rites of Passage, Curated by Peju Oshin, to Open at Gagosian Britannia Street”, 3 March 2023
Gagosian, “Rites of Passage”, March 16, 2023
https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2023/rites-of-passage/
Moody Center for the Arts, “Narrative Threads: Fiber Art Today
https://arts.rice.edu/event/moody-center-arts/narrative-threads-fiber-art-today-68
2022 Surfacemag, Patrick Quarm Peals Back the Layers of Navigating Fraught Social Spaces”, June 17, 2022
https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/patrick-quarm-collage-nxthvn-sean-kelly-gallery/
International Arts and Artist, “Growing as an Artist Through Cultural Exchange”, March 7, 2022
https://www.artsandartists.org/2022/03/07/growing-as-an-artist-through-cultural-exchange/
Avante Arte, “Stories Emanate from Textile Studies of People and Place”
https://avantarte.com/artists/patrick-quarm
UTA Artist Space, “Patrick Quarm”
https://utaartistspace.com/artists/patrick-quarm/
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2020 Artnet, “Ghanaian Artist Patrick Quarm Weaves Together Vibrant Tapestries That Reflect his Personal Experience, September 16, NY, NY
https://news.artnet.com/exhibitions/patrick-quarm-salvaged-imperial-1908691
Art of Choice, “Patrick Quarm Brings Together A Hybridized Society”, February 5, New York, New York
https://www.artofchoice.co/patrick-quarm-brings-together-a-hybridized-society/
Sugarcane Magazine, “REVIEW: AFRICAN ARTIST TO WATCH BRINGS COLOR TO MIAMI”, January 13,” Miami, FL
https://sugarcanemag.com/2020/01/review-african-artist-to-watch-brings-color-to-miami/
2019 Alive Magazine. “What Is It To Become: The Astonishing Art of Patrick Quarm, July 17”
http://alivemag.com/what-it-is-to-become-the-astonishing-art-of-patrick-quarm/
2018 ARTFORUM. “Red Bull Arts Detroit Announces Recipients Of Expanded Residency And Fellowship Program, December 27” Detroit, Mi.
https://www.artforum.com/news/red-bull-arts-detroit-announces-recipients-of-expanded-residency-and- fellowship-program-78228
2018 HYPERALLERGIC. “In Miami, a Fair for Artists from Africa and the African Diaspora Shines Again, December 7,” Miami, FL.
https://hyperallergic.com/474946/prizm-art-fair-2018-miami/
2018 TTU Discoveries Magazine Spring 2018. “Patrick Quarm: Exploring Identity Through Art, April 16,” Lubbock, Texas.
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/vpr/discoveries/
2018 Glasstire. “Patrick Quarm’s Parallel Identities, April 11,” Houston, Texas.
http://glasstire.com/2018/04/11/patrick-quarms-parallel-identities/
2018 thebowerbird. “Patrick Quarm’s Parallel Identities, April 9,” Lubbock, Texas.
http://www.thebowerbirdlbk.com/single-post/2018/04/09/Patrick-Quarm-Parallel-Identities
2018 Texas Tech Today. “Patrick Quarm: Exploring Identity Through Art, April 5,” Lubbock, Texas.
http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2018/04/patrick-quarm
2018 Daily Toreador.com. “FFAT Exhibit to Honor African-American History Month, February 28,” Lubbock, Texas.
http://www.dailytoreador.com/lavida/ffat-exhibit-to-honor-african-american-history month/article_6cae93f8-1cfc- 11e8- 9965- 93d03a5fe7f8.html
2018 Texas Tech Today. “Graduate Student Artist to Discuss African-American History Month Exhibition, February 27,” Lubbock, Texas.
http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2018/02/adv-african-american-history-exhibit
2018 Fox34.com, “West Meets West’ Exhibit Highlights African and African-American Culture, February 01,” Lubbock, Texas.
http://www.fox34.com/story/37629086/west-meets-west-exhibit-highlights-african-and-african-american- culture
2017 thebowerBird, “Fan Girl: Patrick Quarm, September 01,” Lubbock, Texas
http://www.thebowerbirdlbk.com/single-post/2017/09/01/Fan-Girl-Patrick-Quarm
2017 Trove54 “Featured Artist: Patrick Quarm, February 20, London.
https://trove54.org/featured-artist-patrick-quarm/
2012 Oil City Magazine, Western Region Artist, July 1, Takoradi, Ghana