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Homegoings
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Homegoings

The artist who’s trying to die: Joseph Awuah-Darko

By Myra Flynn
Published July 17, 2025 at 3:44 PM EDT

Joseph Awuah-Darko is a 28-year-old Ghanaian artist who announced last year that he was moving to Amsterdam to pursue what in the Netherlands is called “termination of life on request,” or euthanasia, amid a long struggle with bipolar disorder. That announcement shook the Internet. Joseph’s followers have reacted with every emotion from shock to disgust, commiseration to fascination. All in all, it’s one of those stories you feel you should look away from… But you can’t stop watching.

Mainly because — shouldn’t this be private? Shouldn’t we be having conversations about mental health and death…more? We went to Amsterdam to have one of those conversations, over a meal.

***A heads up: This episode includes sensitive conversations about suicide and self harm. Please take care while listening and check out the resources listed below if you or someone you know is in crisis.***

This is the latest episode of Homegoings, a podcast that features fearless conversations about race, and YOU are welcome here. Follow the show here.

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Joseph Awauh-Darko moved to Amsterdam to seek what the Netherlands calls “termination of life on request,” or euthanasia, amid a long struggle with bipolar disorder.
Photo: Courtesy of Isolde Woudstra
/
Graphic: Kaylee Mumford

Joseph Awuah-Darko is many things. He’s a Ghanaian sculptor, model, painter and musician. In 2019, he was named one of Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 creatives. And he loves meeting people from all walks of life over food.

Joseph has been documenting his journey on Instagram and Substack, building a community around his “Last Supper Project.” He’s sharing meals and life with people from all corners of the world.

While he awaits approval, Joseph is hoping to dine with more than 180 people. Homegoings flew to Amsterdam to meet him where he’s at, cook him one of those suppers and regardless of whether or not it’s actually one of his last suppers, we wanted to take a minute of his potentially incredibly precious time to listen, understand, and go deeper.

Myra Flynn
/
Vermont Public

Over a meal of catfish and black-eyed peas, we unpacked assumptions many people have about people like Joseph. People suffering from mental illness. People who don’t want to be alive anymore. That they are irrational. That they can’t be helped or they just want attention.

Mike Dunn
/
Vermont Public

We also asked Joseph questions about his process in all this. Like – what if he isn’t approved? Last year, just under 10,000 people in the Netherlands completed the process and ended their lives and only 219 of them died for psychiatric reasons. (By the way, in 2010 that number was only two.) This isn’t easy to do.

Joseph doesn’t have a date scheduled for his death. What if he changes his mind during this period of waiting? There’s so much hype around his decision now, does he feel obligated to go through with this? What about the critics and people who say he’s trying to divert attention from legal troubles?

And there’s an even bigger, personal question… is this your only option?

That’s what I really want people to understand. It’s not death or nothing. All anyone wants to do when they are in my position is just to have a brain that allows them to enjoy being alive. That’s really it. - Joseph Awuah-Darko

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available

Credits

This episode was hosted and reported by Myra Flynn with help from our associate producer James Stewart. Our producer/director is Mike Dunn and Aaron Edwards is our story editor. Myra composed the theme music with other music by Blue Dot Sessions. Kaylee Mumford are the graphic artist behind this episode’s Homegoings artist portrait.

Thank you for listening. You can see a video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel.

To continue to be part of the Homegoings family:

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Homegoings New England News Collaborative
Myra Flynn
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
See stories by Myra Flynn