In dialogue with
Derrick Boateng
Like ours, each of Derrick’s works is rooted in a proverb, opening a dialogue around joy, beauty and the richness of the African landscape. We gathered around the table for an intimate dinner, surrounded by friends of Derrick and cultural voices, hosted by Vlisco Dialogues.
Derrick is a creative storyteller driven by a deep passion for colour and culture. With a global perspective and an instinct for connection, he turns curiosity into joyful, expressive work. We feel fortunate to connect with an artist whose work is not only rooted in these values, but is also inspired by the rich visual language of Vlisco prints.
During the dinner, Derrick brought together friends, fellow creatives and cultural voices, creating space for dialogue and inspiration. The evening celebrated the artist, his work and the impact he made via Hueism. The stories, colours and joy at the heart of his practice and the ideas that continue to shape his work.
Through Hueism, the artistic movement he founded in 2017, Derrick has built a body of work around self-expression through colour therapy and visual poetry. And it’s all captured on an iPhone. We sat down to talk to him about proverbs, joy, resilience and the enduring power of storytelling.
“People think my work starts with colour. It actually starts with words.”If you’ve seen Derrick’s work, you’ll probably remember the colours first. Rich cobalt blues. Bright yellows. Vivid reds. Photographs that radiate optimism before you’ve even had the chance to understand why. But ask Derrick where an image begins, and colour barely gets a mention.
It always starts with a proverb. “I have a notebook full of proverbs,” he says. Before any artwork is made, the essence of its inspiration comes from the lessons you learn from them.”
That notebook has quietly shaped almost everything he’s created over the last decade. The proverbs became the foundation of Hueism. More than a visual style, Derrick believes it is an invitation. One that encourages African creatives to tell their own stories through their own perspectives.
“I want Hueism to be bigger than me. A platform where other African creatives could also express themselves and share our culture with the world.
It’s a generous ambition. Many artists spend years creating a signature unique to only them, but Derrick built something he hopes others will adopt, reinterpret and continue long after him. “I don’t want to be known as the only person that does Hueism. I really want people to know that I came to make a change. That Derrick Boateng brought an art movement and that it is still standing.”
Growing up in Ghana, colour never felt extraordinary. It was simply part of everyday life. "Around 2015 I started experimenting with colour," he recalls. "At the time, I didn't even realise what I was doing. I wasn't thinking about a career. I was just having fun."
Perhaps that's why his photographs still carry a sense of play. The bold blocks of colour are carefully composed without ever feeling overly serious. Ask him what a particular colour means and he's just as interested in your answer as his own.
"Colour means different things to different people and different cultures," he says. "Sometimes I ask collectors what they see. I like hearing their interpretation." For Derrick, the conversation is also part of the artwork. Yet there are two colours he returns to instinctively. “I love red,” he says. “But Hueism also has its own colour palette, and my favourite one is called Festive Yellow.” He chuckles as he explains why.
"I live on top of a hill, so I have amazing views of the sunset. For me, Festive Yellow means the start of everything. Red signifies love, and we all need more of that. Also, I’m a big Manchester United fan".
Growing up, however, there was one story he wanted to change. Every morning, before school, his father would have the BBC on. Again and again, Derrick saw Ghana and Africa represented through crisis.
“That’s not the Africa I know,” he says. “Even when we’re in distress, we still manage to find joy and comfort in everyday life. I always wanted to rewrite that story. I really love my community, and they do really inspire me.” Derrick’s response was never to ignore the reality. Instead, he chose to widen the frame and show that joy also can be a form of truth "In the beginning my work was mainly about optimism," he reflects. "But over time it became more about the resilience of my community. This is why the proverbs are important because they carry those lessons.”
Once you spend a little time with Derrick you quickly realise his work isn't really about colour. It's about people. Colour just happens to be the language he speaks most fluently.
That philosophy naturally resonates with Vlisco Dialogues, a space built on the belief that colour, culture and creativity have the power to connect us. When asked what the phrase We All Share The Same Sun means to him, his answer is unexpectedly simple.
"What really comes to mind is shelter," he says after a pause. "Being protected by the same spirit, the same being. If you have shelter and protection, then you can have joy."
