Biography of
an Unusual Artist
Samuel Adoquei was born in Ghana, West Africa, where he
completed his fine arts studies at the Ghanatta College of
Fine Arts. After graduation, Mr Adoquei traveled extensively
around Africa and Europe before moving to the United
States.
Mr. Adoquei’s African background makes his experience a new odyssey and a novelty in western art. He is the first African artist to serve on the faculty of all the major academic art institutions of New York City: the National Academy School of Fine Art, the New York Academy of Figurative Arts, the Art Students League of New York and the Educational Alliance. He has also taught at the Lyme Academy of Art in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Mr. Adoquei was recently invited to serve on the faculty of the Portrait Society of America.
The winner of several international awards for his artwork,
including the Gold Medal in Oil Painting and Best Traditional
Oil Painting awards at the Knickerbocker Artists Annual
Exhibition held in New York City, Mr. Adoquei has also written extensively on portraiture and landscape painting for
American art magazines.
For some years, Mr. Adoquei’s monumental triptych, “The
Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,” toured the country as
part of an exhibition organized by the Smithsonian
Institution, in Washington, D.C. The exhibition visited a
number of major museums.
Several articles by and about Mr. Adoquei have appeared in national newspapers and magazines in the United States as well as in publications abroad and his paintings have appeared on the covers of books and magazines. Most recently, the New York Times wrote an article about Mr. Adoqouei’s painting, “The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.” His painting, “Portrait of Rodney,” was featured on the cover of Literature and Integrated Studies magazine and in an article written by Scott Foresman of Chicago.
Mr. Adoquei has painted portraits and studies of
people of all ages and from all walks of life—from business and military professionals, to
astronauts, rock stars and beauty queens. His artwork is in
the collections of several art museums and is included
in both private and public collections here and abroad.
Historical Achievement:
Ten years ago Mr. Adoquei started exploring the landscapes
of the Dordogne region of France, especially the outskirts of
Bergerac, a challenging subject unexplored by other western
art masters as it requires a dedicated artist with strong convictions. Recently, the city of Pomport awarded Mr. Adoquei
the city's Medal of Honor for his contribution and dedication
to the arts and culture of the area, and for bringing out the
hidden beauty of the area for international art enthusiasts.
It was the first time in history that the city awarded its
Medal of Honor to a foreigner or to an artist, an historical
achievement in Western art for an artist with Mr. Adoquei's
background.
