Sokofa Shop
Buy original African art online, direct from the artists: contemporary paintings, wall art and signed prints, mostly from Nigeria and Ghana. Every piece is reviewed before it goes live and ships worldwide.
151 items
Arts
An original painting on canvas of a drummer with a drum slung at his side, worked in one warm brown pigment, 7 by 10 inches and signed Lexis. The figure is drawn in a few dark lines over washes of ochre, sienna and amber, with loose brushwork and spatters around him, so he seems to stand in the middle of the sound. The artist lists the medium as a local watercolour pigment named aciduro, which gives the piece its single warm tone, closer to an ink drawing than to the bright acrylics elsewhere in the shop. For the artist the drum is a heartbeat: heritage, unity and the call that brings a village together. At 7 by 10 inches it suits a desk, a shelf or a gallery wall of small pieces. It is one of a kind, not a print. Painted by hand in Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
An original acrylic painting on canvas, 10 by 14 inches, signed Lexis. Rows of pale circles, each ringed in yellow and lit with a white highlight, cover the whole canvas, and behind them a figure the artist describes as a drummer, with dancers around him, comes through in red, plum, orange and green. The artist calls the circles bubbles of joy, rising through the picture like laughter and the good feeling that spreads when music brings people together. Choose it if you like a picture that reveals itself slowly: the figure resolves as you stand back. It is one of a kind, not a print, and ships unframed. Painted by hand in Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
An original acrylic painting of a woman carrying a basket on her head, 10 by 14 inches. She stands with one hand resting on her waist, painted in plum, gold and red, and the whole canvas is overlaid with rows of pale lilac circles, so the figure seems to appear through them. The artist calls the circles bubbles of hope, each one joined to the next the way every effort and sacrifice opens the way to something better, and the basket of vegetables stands for nourishment, hard work and the promise of tomorrow. Signed Lexis, it is a one of a kind piece, not a print. Among the shop's market and mother paintings this is the most abstract, the one to choose if you like a subject that reveals itself slowly. It ships rolled in a tube, unframed, with a raw canvas margin around the painted area, ready to frame or stretch. If you prefer the same size in a quieter subject, see Wild Flowers, Flower Vase Painting by the same artist.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
An original acrylic painting on canvas of women gathered on a busy market day. On a cool grey ground a crowd of market women stand close together, several balancing pots and trays on their heads. In front of them two traders sit on low wooden benches under wide brimmed hats, with a round pot on the ground to the left and a woven basket of goods to the right. The artist lays the figures down in quick, loose strokes of red, turquoise, yellow and green, and lets streaks of light fall through the grey above them, so the whole circle seems to hum with talk and trade. It is signed LEXIS at the lower right and measures 20 x 13 inches (about 51 x 33cm), landscape, as given by the artist. There is one, and it is the canvas you see here, sized for a living room, dining room or office wall. It ships rolled in a tube, unstretched and unframed, so allow for stretching or framing when it arrives. If you like a market scene in cooler blue light, the artist's The Last Minute, Market Scene Painting is also in the shop.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
An original mixed media portrait on card, 63 x 58 cm, in black, grey and white. A seated figure fills the piece, the face a pale mask with narrow slit eyes, a long nose and an open mouth, topped by a small crest and framed by a headdress patterned with triangles and chevrons. An arch sweeps over the top of the work, and the surface is built up in layers, with torn and creased card showing through the dark, rubbed tones. It has a dignified presence: a layered tribute to womanhood, resilience and cultural relevance, for collectors who value identity based art and the meeting of strength and elegance. This is a single original by South African artist Gary Frier, whose mixed media portraits Here Comes the Sun and Packing Arrows are also in this shop. It ships unframed. Keep it out of direct sunlight and handle it by the edges.
Sold by Gary Frier • South Africa
Arts
An original sepia painting of a mother with her child carried on her back. She is drawn in a few quick dark lines over tall washes of ochre, amber and rust, her head wrapped, the child's round head resting against her, and a crescent and bar pattern running down her wrapper. The artist lists the medium as aciduro, a local watercolour pigment, which gives the piece its single warm tone, closer to an ink drawing than to the bright acrylics elsewhere in the shop. The artist calls it Quiet Strength. Her calm posture is the point: a woman carrying life's responsibilities with grace, strength that is gentle rather than loud. The child against her back stands for trust, continuity and the love and heritage passed from one generation to the next. At 7 by 10 inches it suits a desk, a shelf or a gallery wall of small pieces. It is one of a kind, not a print, signed Lexis in the lower right corner. Painted by hand in Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
An original sepia painting of a mother carrying her baby son on her back. The mother is drawn in profile in warm browns over washes and spatters of ochre and amber, her son wrapped to her back in a patterned cloth, his head resting against her shoulder. The artist lists the medium as aciduro, a local watercolour pigment, which gives the piece its single warm tone, closer to an ink drawing than to the bright acrylics elsewhere in the shop. For the artist the child is a symbol of hope, continuity and the future, and the mother is the protector carrying the next generation forward through the work of every day. The title says it plainly: a child is not simply someone a mother carries, but a blessing she protects and guides. At 7 by 10 inches it suits a desk, a shelf or a gallery wall of small pieces. It is one of a kind, not a print, signed Lexis in the lower right corner. Painted by hand in Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Buying guide
Original African art on Sokofa spans contemporary oil painting, mixed media, and limited prints from working artists across the continent. Every piece is sold by the artist or their studio, so you are collecting from the source, not through layers of dealers.
Decide first between an original and a print. Originals are one-of-one and listed with their medium and dimensions; prints make the same artist's work accessible at a lower price point. Large canvases typically ship rolled in a tube for safety, ready for stretching and framing locally, and the product page tells you how each work is shipped.
If a piece moves you, read the artist's storefront. Where they paint, what tradition they work in, and why a motif recurs: provenance is part of what you own, and it is the part that makes African contemporary art one of the most rewarding spaces to collect in right now.
Common questions
Sokofa (sokofa.com) is an online marketplace for authentic African art: original paintings, mixed media and limited prints sold directly by African artists and studios across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and beyond. There are no dealer mark-ups: you buy from the artist's own storefront, and every artwork ships worldwide with secure checkout.
Artists set their own prices. Signed prints and small works start at around £26, a typical original painting is about £240, and large statement canvases run into the thousands. Every listing is priced in pounds, and the delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay.
Most of the art on Sokofa comes from artists working in Nigeria and Ghana, with further work from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique, and from African artists based in France. Each artist's storefront says where they are based and what they work in, from oil and acrylic to mixed media and beadwork on canvas.
Yes. Nigeria and Ghana are where most Sokofa artists work, so the art section is one of the widest selections of contemporary Nigerian and Ghanaian painting you can buy online: original oils and acrylics, mixed media and signed prints, each bought from the artist's own storefront. Filter by Paintings, Wall Decor or Art Prints, and every listing shows the artist's country, the medium and the size.
Anyone can apply to sell, but every listing is reviewed before it goes live, and every seller is verified before Sokofa pays them for a sale. You pay through Sokofa's own checkout, and the seller is paid only after the order has been delivered.
For original African paintings bought directly from the artist, Sokofa (sokofa.com) lists contemporary oil, acrylic and mixed-media work from African artists, alongside affordable limited prints. Each listing states medium, dimensions and shipping method, large canvases ship rolled in protective tubes, and delivery is available worldwide with secure checkout.
Both are available and every listing says clearly which it is. Originals are one-of-one and listed with medium and dimensions; prints are a more affordable way to collect the same artists. When in doubt, the product description and the artist's storefront have the details.
Larger canvases are usually removed from the stretcher and shipped rolled in a rigid tube, which is the safest method for international transit. Your local framer can stretch and frame the work on arrival. Smaller works and prints ship flat. Each product page states the shipping method.
Yes. Every artwork is reviewed before it is listed, and your purchase goes to the artist or studio directly, with no dealer mark-ups. Their storefront page tells you who they are, where they work, and what drives their practice.
If an item arrives damaged, wrong, or significantly different from its description, contact support within 48 hours of delivery and the team will guide you through a return or refund.
