Paa Joe was born in 1947 in Ghana. He began his training as a coffin creator at the age of 12 in the workshop of his uncle Kane Kwei (1924–1992) in Teshie and is considered one of the most important fantasy coffin artists in Ghana. His picturesque, artful, detailed painted and almost architecturally double-layered works, which always depict figurative elements in three-dimensional form, have been exhibited worldwide.

“I was given to my uncle who was the second generation to produce a fantasy coffin in Ghana. He is named Kane Kwei. I trained in Teshie, a coastal area of Accra Ghana from 1960-1970. I then opened my own coffin studio as the third generation from 1977. I don’t only produce coffins for the dead but also for Museums and Galleries all over the world; for exhibitions.”