Imprinting Ga heritage on Fabric
Kukueley is a London-based graphic artist whose work explores contemporary African art through the lens of the Ga language, blending traditional cultural influences with elements of the Western world. Born into a mixed Ghanaian and Jamaican family and raised in London, her connection to African culture deepened through frequent visits to Accra, Ghana. Immersed in the city's energy, colour, and traditions, she developed a profound appreciation for the heritage of the Ga people. Kukueley founded Okaikoi—a creative platform dedicated to showcasing the written Ga language and the expressive symbolism of Ga Samai signs. The name Okaikoi is a tribute to her grandmother, whose guidance and teachings played a vital role in passing down the traditions, values, and cultural knowledge of the Ga people.
How would You Describe Yourself to Someone who is just Meeting You for the First Time?
Hmm, first time meeting me…….I'm probably the one in the brightest outfit in the room. Quietly spoken, but warm and easy to talk to. The colours tend to make the first impression before I do!
How would You Describe Your Artistic Process?
It starts with a simple sketch, then I move to the computer to develop it further. More often than not, less than 5% of that original sketch makes it into the final piece, which I find really interesting. There's a natural flow to how everything comes together, and it feels very much like self-discovery. The ideas never really stop coming.
Painting is where I truly lose myself, though. Getting absorbed in choosing colours, finding the right balance between them, and seeing how they speak to the overall feel of the piece. I absolutely love that part of the process.
What Motivates You to do Your Work?
Being part of the Ga community is everything to me (my Granddad would be extremely proud to to hear thoes words! RIP Granddad) Preserving our heritage, our culture, and its legacy is what drives me every day. I want to show the world what we have, and more importantly, I want future generations to be able to learn and embrace it, not look back on it as something that once was. That's what keeps me going.
What did You Consider before doing the Work You do?
Architecture was actually my first dream, but life took me in a different direction. After that I had a real interest in interior design, which eventually led me into housing development. There's always been a thread of design running through everything I've done but with Okaikoi, there are no restrictions. I get to create what feels right to me rather than working within someone else's boundaries, and honestly, that's been quite liberating.
What Motivates You on days when You don’t feel Appreciated?
Music, honestly. I'll put something on and have my own little personal karaoke session that always helps! But beyond that, I take myself back to my first exhibition, my first commission, my first project. Those moments remind me that everything comes in its own time. There's always someone out there who will connect with the work and appreciate it, I have learnt that you have to trust that your art will be discovered by a new audience when the time is right.
Did You ever Consider Quitting Your Work?
Never! Lol, I don't think that thought has ever even visited my mind! Being an artist isn't something you just walk away from, it won't allow me! There's always that creative bug poking at you, itching to get out. It's in me for life, and don’t believe it ever would leave as I have been creative since the age of 9yrs. There's also a real sense of peace that comes with being creative, especially in those moments when life feels stressful or the pressure creeps in it's honestly one of the things that has helped 7.
What would you describe as your muse? My grandmother, without a doubt. She kept me connected to the Ghanaian language and traditions growing up. Being raised in London, it would have been so easy to lose touch with all of that but she and my Grandad made sure we as grandchildren never did. Okaikoi exists as my way of honouring them both, for everything they taught me and for showing me why the legacy of our people's traditions must continue.
Anything you would like to Share with Someone who is just Starting out in Your Discipline?
Be patient with yourself and stay true to your why. When I rooted my work in something real my culture, my heritage, my grandmother, everything felt clearer and more purposeful. Your uniqueness is your greatest asset. Nobody can tell your story the way you can, so lean into that.
Don't wait until you feel ready either, just start, you will learn more by doing. Every piece you create, even the ones you're not proud of, is shaping you into the artist you're becoming. And above all, please ENJOY IT!! Let it make you smile, whether you've just started something or finally completed it. That feeling is worth everything.
Do You use Your Work for Activism?
Not in a direct or hard sense, no. But I'd say there's definitely a softer form of activism running through it. By highlighting the richness of the Ga language and its symbols through art, I'm making a quiet but intentional case that this culture is too beautiful to be lost. Art has a way of teaching people without them even realising it and that, for me, is powerful enough.
Do Ychoice butou have a Meaningful Aspect of Social Consciousness to Your Work?
Yes, very much so. Everything you see in my work carries meaning the colours, the Ga Samais, the written Ga language. They're woven into every piece not just as a design choice, but as a conscious effort to keep them visible and alive in the world.
Growing up in London with a mixed Ghanaian and Jamaican heritage, I saw how easy it is for culture and language to quietly fade. That reality is what drives me. Every art piece carries a bit of that culture forward in a way that feels contemporary and accessible to anyone, anywhere. So yes, the social consciousness is very much there, it's just expressed through colour and design rather than a louder voice.