In Threads of Past and Present, his first solo exhibition at Gallery 1957 in London, Adjei Tawiah presents a deeply reflective body of work that celebrates human connection—friendship, family, shared history, and influential public figures, both living and departed—at a time when collective kinship feels more essential than ever. Through this new series of paintings, Tawiah revives the presence of people, moments, and memories from the past, breathing new life into them and allowing them to exist with a sense of love, reverence, and permanence.

The exhibition features 17 new works, including several paintings of two close Ghanaian friends who frequently appear in Tawiah’s practice. Both are practicing artists currently studying fine art at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. Tawiah depicts them walking hand in hand along Accra’s iconic Labadi Beach, dressed in stylish clothing once worn by his grandfather—an intentional layering of personal memory, generational continuity, and contemporary identity. These scenes evoke intimacy, nostalgia, and the enduring bond between past and present.

Floral motifs also play a significant role in this body of work. Reflecting on their inclusion, Tawiah explains that the flowers are drawn from a deeply personal memory: those he saw when his mother was laid to rest. “They are flowers people threw onto her body as it was being lowered into the grave as a sign of respect,” he recalls. “I remember the abundance of flowers across the cemetery.” In this context, the recurring floral elements symbolize both remembrance and renewal—honoring those who have passed while celebrating the beauty of life, nature, and the enduring emotional connections we carry forward.