Desmond Tjonakoy
Desmond Tjonakoy is of Ghanaian descent. He has been affiliated with Outsider Art Ateliers and the graphic studio of Bijzonder Amsterdams since 2011. He enjoys working with pencil and fineliner on themes related to Black hip-hop culture on the one hand and religious or cultural inspiration on the other. He draws portraits of icons such as model Naomi Campbell, singer Aaliyah and West Coast rapper MC Eiht.
He is also working on his own mythology surrounding the characters ‘Carla’ and ‘The Black Lion’, the latter of which battles monsters and demons to settle the struggle between good and evil. Desmond is one of the studio’s superstars. He is nationally and internationally acclaimed and in 2024 finished in third place in the Euward award, Europe’s most prestigious outsider art prize.
In 2025, he participated in “Bandshirts – the Expo” and has been collaborating with Patta on various projects for several years. In addition to traditional media such as drawing and painting, he also experiments with other forms, including stop-motion animation.
He is also working on his own mythology surrounding the characters ‘Carla’ and ‘The Black Lion’, the latter of which battles monsters and demons to settle the struggle between good and evil. Desmond is one of the studio’s superstars. He is nationally and internationally acclaimed and in 2024 finished in third place in the Euward award, Europe’s most prestigious outsider art prize.
In 2025, he participated in “Bandshirts – the Expo” and has been collaborating with Patta on various projects for several years. In addition to traditional media such as drawing and painting, he also experiments with other forms, including stop-motion animation.
Expositions
2025 Firely | Inner Fire II, groupshow
2025 De Nieuwe Liefde x OA | Openingsexpositie, groupshow
2025 Outsider Art Galerie | EXIT/NEXT, groupshow
2025 Warmoestraat 67 | Bandshirts de Expo, groupshow
2024 Haus der Kunst Munich – Euward9 Award winnaar 3e prijs
2024 No Limits Art Castle Amsterdam – Welcome to the castle; The Best Of No Limits! Art Castle
2024 Outsider Art Galerie – Express Your Freedom
2023 The Grand Palace of Everyone – No Limits Art Castle bij Nest Den Haag
2022 Special Arts Amersfoort | 150 jaar Mondriaan
2021 – 2022 Outsider Art Museum | For the love of art
2021 Koppelkerk Bredevoort
2021 Outsiderwear Festival, Patta Store
2020 Outsider Art Galerie | Het Gewone is Bijzonder
2019 Erasmus Gallery Rotterdam
2018 – 2019 Outsider Art Gallery | Raw Beauties,
2017 – 2018 Outsider Art Museum | Nieuwe Meesters
2017 Outsider Art Galerie | Black & White European Outsider Art
2017 Wuhan Disabled Persons’ Art Center, China
2016 Onca Gallery Brighton (UK)
2025 De Nieuwe Liefde x OA | Openingsexpositie, groupshow
2025 Outsider Art Galerie | EXIT/NEXT, groupshow
2025 Warmoestraat 67 | Bandshirts de Expo, groupshow
2024 Haus der Kunst Munich – Euward9 Award winnaar 3e prijs
2024 No Limits Art Castle Amsterdam – Welcome to the castle; The Best Of No Limits! Art Castle
2024 Outsider Art Galerie – Express Your Freedom
2023 The Grand Palace of Everyone – No Limits Art Castle bij Nest Den Haag
2022 Special Arts Amersfoort | 150 jaar Mondriaan
2021 – 2022 Outsider Art Museum | For the love of art
2021 Koppelkerk Bredevoort
2021 Outsiderwear Festival, Patta Store
2020 Outsider Art Galerie | Het Gewone is Bijzonder
2019 Erasmus Gallery Rotterdam
2018 – 2019 Outsider Art Gallery | Raw Beauties,
2017 – 2018 Outsider Art Museum | Nieuwe Meesters
2017 Outsider Art Galerie | Black & White European Outsider Art
2017 Wuhan Disabled Persons’ Art Center, China
2016 Onca Gallery Brighton (UK)
Commissions
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Collections
Outsider Art Museum, Amsterdam
Kunstwerken van
Desmond Tjonakoy
Adventure of Black Lion to free Carla from the dungeon
Black Man of History
Black Manhood
Black Queens of Negro Night
Carla in the black castle
Lord of War
