Similarly to Keith Haring and his contemporary, Jean-Michel Basquiat – two of the most prominent artists to emerge from the febrile art scene of 1980s New York – there’s a quality of graphomania and spontaneity about Owusu’s work, as if drawing is a compulsion. Like the two seminal artists, Owusu has created his own unique visual language made up of recurring colours, motifs, and characters; a distinct lexicon of figures and hieroglyphics. Just as some of Haring and Basquiat’s most famed early artworks were the provocative graffiti with which they decorated NYC’s streets, buildings, and Metro, the home of Owusu’s latest project will also be the city streets.

In keeping with the inclusive spirit of his work, Owusu‘s collaboration with the BUILDHOLLYWOOD family sees his artwork decorating billboards around London and beyond. Rather than being sequestered away in an art gallery, his series of loving portraits – which pay tribute to the inspirational matriarchal figures in his life – will instead go on display on the streets where he was raised. “It feels extremely surreal to see it out here; for it to exist in real spaces for everyone to see,” he says. “I hope this work can inspire other people to paint or create some art too and, for those people that recognise the symbol of these African aunties, that they too feel represented and maybe even a sense of ownership of the artwork.”

Below, we talk to King Owusu about staying tenacious, coming from a richly multicultural community, and honouring the strong women in his life.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background and the formative influences that have most affected your work?

King Owusu: I grew up in North London, in a Ghanaian household with a strong sense of family and community. Growing up, my main inspiration for my art came from my three elder brothers. At home, I was like a little fly on the wall just listening and taking in all the creativity that was being conjured up by them in our room.

One of my favourites projects by my eldest brother’s was when he made all these really beautiful, detailed portrait paintings documenting the people growing up on our estate at the time. Such a kind and simple concept, what I really liked and what stuck with me most about his work was how it brought all of us kids from all different backgrounds together and presented us a part of a shared narrative. It gave me a great feeling of existence, importance, and optimism and proved to me the power of art to bring communities together.

What do you love most about living in a city like London? How does it inform your practice?

King Owusu: In London, we are blessed to have so many diverse people from all over the world that help build and shape our communities. I have really appreciated and enjoyed the diversity not just in culture but also in ideas and ambitions. My friends and family members all want to achieve different things be it becoming a professional car drifter, actor, or high fashion photographer. And, though we all have very different ambitions, the best part is how we can all come together to be supportive and combine our shared skill and resources to turn these ambitions into reality.

Could you share with us the journey you took to becoming an illustrator?

King Owusu: Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be an artist but I never really knew how to create a living from it. A lot of the artists I was taught about in school became rich and successful after they had passed away. But what that taught me was to carry on, always do what you love, and the money would come later. So I started by making work for myself that I personally enjoyed and surrounding myself with like-minded and creative individuals.

Going to art school help me create a network and learn about some of the practical ways that art can be applied to everyday life. I’ve always loved working with artists that worked in different mediums from myself and enjoyed finding ways that we could work and combine our practices. That same approach I take into the real world and apply to making new projects.

How would you describe your work? What does it represent?

King Owusu: Fun, colourful, bold, and with a hint of optimism. I focus on community and identity. My works are an extension of my own exploration of self and human connections. One aspect of my work that is really important to me is its accessibility and telling stories that highlight and capture the black experience.

What are your ambitions as an illustrator?

King Owusu: I want to develop my skills as an artist and illustrator, to be able to connect to more people and communities through collaborations – whether they are in fashion, design, or film.

I’m really up for a lot and, after creating a platform for myself, I would love to build a platform to share skills and opportunities, ignite creativity, develop the confidence to be creative, and present being an artist or creative as a viable path for all.

Colour seems very significant in your work. How do you choose the colours for each illustration? And what meanings do particular colours hold for you?

King Owusu: I am influenced a lot by nature. And I personally really enjoy playing and experimenting with colour combinations – this really helps to keep me inspired. Keeping the work fun is priority.

You also have strong links to the fashion world. How do you see art and fashion working together?

King Owusu: Fashion and art have always had a really strong relationship. Fashion also creates the opportunity for art to be made into textiles and for print to be worn. I think about the t-shirts Keith Haring made which made his work more affordable and accessible to a wider audience.

One of the ways I’ve been combining my work with fashion has been by exploring prop-making and set design – turning my illustration into spaces and environments. I’ve been having a lot of fun doing this and assisting other designers that are masters at it.

What are you most proud of at this point in your life? This doesn’t have to be art-related, but it could be.

King Owusu: At this stage, I’m proud to have never given up on myself. I think being an artist is such a difficult, competitive path that requires one to have a lot of self-confidence and tenacity. Even to just put yourself out there and share work is an achievement. I think that we lose a lot of great artists and creatives because it becomes so hard to support yourself and push your work. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a community that keeps me passionate.

Tell us more about the work you’ve created for the collaboration with BUILDHOLLYWOOD?

King Owusu: I wanted to create some work to celebrate my mother and my aunties just like her; for the place that they hold in our hearts and the role that they occupy in our communities. My mum has all these really beautiful clothes that she would wear to different occasions and celebrations, be it her Kente cloth worn on the utmost special events or her Diamond club clothes that she would wear to community funerals and mournings. I’ve just been really inspired by these women – the support they give to our communities, and the inspiration that they evoke by bringing such a beautiful aspect of our traditional culture to this side of the world.

How do you feel about seeing your work in a street setting? What would you like people to get from encountering it?

King Owusu: It feels extremely surreal to see it out here; for it to exist in real spaces for everyone to see. I hope this work can inspire other people to paint or create some art too and, for those people that recognise the symbol of these African aunties, that they too feel represented and maybe even a sense of ownership of the artwork.

What’s next for you? How do you see your work evolving in the future?

King Owusu: More collaborations, bigger artwork maybe even some furniture. As I continue to explore and gain more experience in set design I know I will have a lot of fun and opportunity.