Alvin Svanekiaer - Contemporary Fine Artist.
- Isobel Arden
- Feb 16
- 4 min read
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Meet Alvin Svanekiaer.
In this interview, Mark invited Alvin Svanekiaer to create his own fantasy cultural year from the answers to some easy questions where there are no wrong answers. Enjoy his journey below.
Alvin Jed Svanekiaer is a Ghana‑based contemporary fine artist of Danish and Ghanaian heritage whose work explores the emotional, social and cultural layers of African life.
Raised in an artistically inclined household, creativity was less a hobby and more a family dialect. While other children learned to whistle or ride a bike, Alvin learned how to see – to observe people, textures, moods and symbols.
His early adulthood, however, took an unexpected detour. Rather than moving directly into the arts, Alvin spent several years shaping his customer‑service instincts in the hospitality sector, working as a Front Desk Supervisor, Guest Relations specialist and later in facility and property management.
These environments sharpened his understanding of human behaviour, emotion, and the micro‑dramas of daily life – invaluable fodder for his later creative practice.
A turning point came in 2024 when Alvin returned to painting. The shift became definitive in 2025 following his mother’s declining health, prompting him to step fully into art as both a profession and a means of survival and care. Painting became therapy, clarity and direction — a way to support his family while rediscovering a voice that had been patiently waiting.
Working primarily with acrylic black, deep royal blues and gold leaf, Alvin blends abstraction with portraiture, layering symbols, textures and sociological references. His work addresses resilience, spiritual grounding and the complex beauty of African society while remaining universal enough to speak of love, sorrow, dignity and joy.
Alongside his fine art practice at SVANE STUDIOS, Alvin maintains parallel work in facility and property management, including his role as Facilities Manager at Westward Estate Management Firm and part‑time Managing Director at SVANE INDUSTRIES.
With a background in Sociology (BA, KNUST) and Social Work training, he approaches creation as a study of people, systems and the human condition.
Alvin aims to bring African‑centred visual narratives to global audiences, exhibit internationally and build bridges across cultures through art that feels deeply lived rather than merely observed.
Alvin's Fantasy Cultural Year ... with a magic wand and time machine to hand.
Mark introduced the idea of a “fantasy cultural year” - a way to get to know each new full member that's far more spontaneous than a traditional interview — allowing imagination, travel, culture and Alvin’s creative vision to collide.
☕ Rome, 6pm in June
Mark sets the scene for Alvin: a warm June evening in Rome, sat at a pavement café overlooking the Colosseum. On Alvin’s table:
Drink: Red wine
Book: Robinson Crusoe (which he read in junior/senior high)
Music: Yanni in his headphones (even though he also loves hip-hop and J. Cole)
🎨 The Commission of a Lifetime
Alvin is buzzing — he’s just met with a fictitious wealthy Italian family foundation who love his Africa-themed artwork. They offer him:
✔️ A year-long commission
✔️ A big fee
✔️ First-class travel
✔️ Artistic freedom
The brief: visit different continents and create Alvin’s interpretation for each. He must choose one country per continent that captures the continent’s “feeling.”
🛫 First Stop: North America
Mark begins with: Canada or United States?Alvin picks the United States, partly because his uncle and cousins live in Maryland. Mark suggests Baltimore, and that becomes the first destination.
On his first-class flight, Alvin is served red wine and receives a challenge from the Foundation: 🎧 Choose one genre of music to listen to exclusively for the whole trip.
Alvin chooses classical music, citing love for Hans Zimmer (Interstellar) and Yanni. Mark mentions listening to the Interstellar score without the film because the music “speaks for itself,” and recommends checking out Anna Lapwood, an organist at the Royal Albert Hall who performs a stunning Interstellar rendition.
🏙️ Arrival in Baltimore
Alvin is met in Baltimore by family, friends, and local art students. He’s given an apartment and told to relax — later, he’ll be taken out for:
A dance performance, and
Dinner
Because the premise includes a magic wand, Alvin can choose any dance style, performers (living or not), and cuisine. For dance, he chooses hip-hop breakdance, which he himself did in senior high.
🥂 The Hero Lunch
The next day, there’s another magical perk: Alvin can have lunch with anyone he considers a hero, living or dead.
His choice: Nelson Mandela or his grandmother!
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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