Sharon Dede Padiki, CEO of Padiki Art Gallery, has addressed criticism over her ‘unconventional’ painting of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, created live during his candlelight vigil at Independence Square.
The artwork — a cartoon-style caricature — sparked mixed reactions online, with some critics calling it disrespectful while others praised its creativity. In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Padiki explained that her choice of style was intentional, aimed at easing the grief of the crowd gathered at the vigil.
“Seeing the numbers growing, I wanted to calm the atmosphere instead of adding to the sadness. I chose a caricature — an exaggerated and humorous style — to lighten the mood. I’m not a portrait artist; I work in abstracts. Even if I hadn’t done this, I would have created a symbolic piece about his life, not a realistic portrait,” she said in a phone interview with Isaac Dadzie.
Unmoved by the backlash, Padiki stated that art is meant to inspire discussion and that the incident revealed a general lack of art appreciation in Ghana. “I’m fine with it; I don’t care. If an art piece isn’t criticised, it’s not a masterpiece. Everyone has the right to express their opinion — this is a democracy. I enjoy the debate because it helps me educate people about art. It shows how much art education is needed in Ghana, and I intend to address that seriously,” she noted.
The painting, presented to Daddy Lumba’s family as a tribute, went viral online, attracting thousands of reactions. Known for her bold projects, including an attempt at the Guinness World Record for a 168-hour paint-a-thon, Padiki remains committed to artistic freedom and promoting female empowerment in Ghana’s art space.