By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

An exhibition of large-scale portrait paintings by German artist Rebekka Macht that refelect a personal exploration of motherhood – a well-regarded tradition that is equally beset with intricacies and monumental challenges – are currently onshow at Gallery 1957 in Accra. 

Titled “Fragile Wings of Motherhood”, the artist captures the multi-dimensional principle of maternal existence while interlacing together themes of protection, vulnerability and societal entanglement. Her messages are effectively transmitted through human fugures in earth colours with blue and white backgrounds. 

Undeniably, motherhood is a multifaceted experience that encompasses biological, psychological, social and cultural dimensions. Its complexities arise from a variety of factors, including the responsibilities of child-rearing, societal expectations, personal identity and the emotional intensity of the mother-child bond. 

Curated by Azu Nwagbogu, her works are acts of distress, explosion and fragmentation, where human bodies (especially her children) are meticulously positioned to articulate the fragility and resilience of familial bonds alongside an arch-like protective dome over the shattered figures. 

Fueled by her background in art and mathematics, her practice is a dialogue between memory and innovation. Indeed, the near ritualistic setups of her compositions reflect a perceptive consideration of form and function, which result in paintings that are permeated with a sense of contemporary endurance.

As a christian by faith, Macht tends to recall formative experiences of choir practices and church plays alongside flashes that impart spiritual illumination while ensuring that creative outlets are mixed with an enduring sense of guilt.

Macht, who completed her state examination in portrait painting under Prof. Jörg Eberhard in 2014, invites viewers into ambiguous spaces such as suffering and growth, pain and pleasure, strength and vulnerability, secular and etheric, societal constructs and breaking free. 

Her work consists of large-scale portrait paintings through which she questions gender norms and conjures multilayered in-between spaces of ambiguity and circularity as well as a keen interested in the process of cyclical development in life.

The exhibition ends on Saturday March 1, 2025.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

An exhibition of artworks by Dr. Sela Adjei that tend to convey mystery, danger, introspection, despair, grief and hope through darkness are currently on show at the Nubuke Foundation in Accra.

Indeed, the gallery is inundated by imagery shaped from sculptural figurines ranging from “Baule” (La Côte d’Ivoire), “Senufo” (La Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso), adinkra symbols (Ghana), linguist staffs, forms of ancient obelisks and “Yeve” religious symbols from Ewe speaking parts of West Africa.

Darkness has often been used to convey enigma, risk or introspection in artworks ranging from Gothic novels to Film Noir, which was in vogue in the 1940s. Undeniably, many cultures associate darkness with the underworld or the abode of spirits, such as Hades in Greek mythology or the Egyptian Duat while others link it with creatures of the night including vampires, witches and ghosts.

Titled “Children of the Universe”, the artist appears to be immersed in a long eclipse of total darkness – to him, it is no longer a fleeting period in his life but rather a time during which he confronts the bigger cosmos while commenting on cultures that associate darkness with death, doom and negativity.

Fueled by the aesthetics of West African sculpture, Adjei delved into the pressing issues of power, extra-activism and ecological degradation while crafting works that call for deep reflection on the interdependence of humanity and nature.

With backgrounds in either black or white, Adjei employs the use of thick and thin textured lines that flow in diverse shapes as extremely exaggerated figures evoke empathy, pragmatism and a shared sense of responsibility.

He tackles tensions, social unrest, existential threats to our water bodies, soil poisoning and degradation as well as birth deformities from a place of darkness, whilst looking out to the calm that beckons and to the embryonic forms waiting to birth new life and hope. 

Currently a lecturer at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (Institute of Film and Television) in Accra, Adjei is a multidisciplinary artist, researcher and curator with degrees in Communication Design and African Art / Culture from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Kumasi) alongside a PhD in African Studies from the University of Ghana (Legon).

The exhibition ends on Saturday March 29, 2025.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Paintings, murals and scultptures by London-born Barbadian artist Andrew Pierre Hart are currently on show at Gallery 1957, following a two month residency with the celebrated Gallery.

Inspired by “Sonara” and “Blacqousti”, which appear to be metaphysical figures that possibly represent varying aspects of sound, healing and consciousness, his colour palette that emanate from the canvases are largely inspired by the colours of Ghana’s national flag – red, gold, green and a black star.

The artworks equally tend to relate to a healing journey or spiritual awakening through sound, alongside larger themes in mythology and ancient spirituality while posing questions of what it means to listen and to hear rhythms of the earth and humans.

Indeed, works on display move in sync with the undulating forms and figures that exist within his sonic mythology while expanding their lore with site specific murals that respond to people and spaces in which the works were created.

Despite the conspicous absence of drums in Hart’s work, they are nevertheless all-pervading. Undeniably, his canvases and the sprawling murals which surround them are similar to  the Ghanaian “Tamalin” drum, which is stretched more or less like a canvass.   

Titled “The Listening Sweet II Ghana”, the exhibition interweaves many conceptual parts including robust and rhythmic musical instruments sculpted from wood that are reflected in the instruments being played by the musicians within the colouful paintings.

With his murals acting as a link between his paintings and sculptures, they are visualized as  freestyle improvizations that hit the walls without pre-sketches. These vehement bursts of lines and monochromatic spaces bend and wrap thereby triggering interference that is melodious and distractive at the same time.

For Hart, the spaces between the diasporas of the United Kingdom, Barbados and Ghana are connected like knots in the past, present and future. These loops of history and relational narratives emerge in disparate ways throughout this effervescent body of work, invoking audiences to slip in and out of time.

The exhibition ends on Saturday January 11, 2025.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

“Echoes of Mundane Mindfulness”, an exhibition by Lois Selasie Arde-Acquah that is characterised by replication alongside painting, drawing, cutting and sewing is on show at Gallery 1957 in Accra.

Indeed, her practice purports that repetition – when meticulously executed – can lead to new ways of appreciation, collaboration, growth and creating space for reflection while questioning the impact of these reiterative actions on the body and mind.

Curated by Ato Annan and Katherine Finerty, the exhibition boasts of over 30,000 black and white sheets of hand-cut paper put together in installations of varying sizes and shapes that turned the exhibition hall into a sort of forest thereby revealing the inner workings of her monochromatic mind.

Exuding reminiscence of the black forests of Ramten Skov (Denmark), the artist inundated the exhibition hall with her installations on the walls, roof and floors thereby turning the space into one of elegance and wealth but also that of mourning, magic and darkness.

Through the quiet power of repetition and seemingly mundane gestures such as mark-making, cutting and stitching were elevated into hypnotic works, which are both abstract and topographical. Undeniably, each piece meditates on the intersections of time, labor and resilience.

Each mark made, line drawn, incision and stitch sewn are not merely mechanical actions. They are imbued with intention. Over time, the resonant movements shift from being enactments of manual labour to something more meditative. Indeed, the body becomes synchronised with the rhythm of the work and the mind moves into a state of heightened awareness.

A proud winner of the 2023 Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize, Arde-Acquah’s work resonates with tradition, as her intricate patterns demonstrate how small and monotonous gestures can accumulate into something much more expansive.

“Echoes of Mundane Mindfulness” is an invitation to look closer and to internalise the sacred potential of ordinary actions. The artists challenges us to reconsider the mundane and find beauty, meaning and depth in iteration.

It ends on Saturday January 11, 2025.

By John Owoo

(In Berlin – Germany)

Acclaimed dancer / choreographer Felix Dompreh is noted for his dramatic fusion of elements of traditional, Afro-Fusion, Hip-Hop, Neo-African Dance and contemporary African Dance to create resonating pieces that masterfully combine dance, music and costume.

Currently, the artistic director of Kuyum Tanzplattform, a Neo-African Dance Festival, which is held annually in the German capital Berlin, Dompreh’s training has connected traditional African dance with global and contemporary forms resulting in rooted and innovative pieces.

“The next edition of Kuyum Tanz Plattform will be as inclusive as possible by dedicating one day to showcase Neo-African dance / dance battles by youngsters for young audiences. Again, we intend to expand our network outside Germany by cooperating with Dance Companies and Institutions in various African countries”, said Dompreh, who also works as a teacher for various Afro classes in Berlin.

He obtained a Certificate and Diploma in Traditional and Contemporary African dance at the Noyam African Dance Institute in Ghana, which was under the direction of the late Ghanaian dance guru Prof. F. Nii Yartey and later at the Ecole Des Sable in Senegal, which is headed by Prof. Germaine Acogny.

Dompreh, who has performed in various countries in African, Europe and Asia, also has an Arts and Cultural Management certificate from Leuphana University (Lüneburg – Germany). Indeed, he has equally received numerous scholarships for dance residency programs including Danceweb / Impulstanz Vienna (Austria) and CIP/SIDANCE Seoul (South Korea).

“The dance scene in Ghana can be developed by creating a strong crop of dependent dance practitioners that are open for experimentation in Neo-African Dance forms (African Contemporary). This can be achieved by organising occasional dance workshops, residencies and an annual contemporary dance festival”, added the choreographer.

With a Masters in Solo Dance and Authorship from the Inter-University Centre for Dance at the Berlin University of the Arts, he has a number of choreographic works to his credit. These include “Laborlaboratory Dance”, “The Time Mini Factory”, “The March / Djama” and “Waatiwi”.

With stints as a choreographer in Zagreb (Croatia) and a dancer for Theater o.N and Tanztangente Festival in Berlin, Dompreh has added a great depth to his profile through skills and knowledge that were acquired from influential local and international mentors.  

“Neo African Dance has been well received and is being practiced among the Afro Diasporans in Germany. Audiences are still being sensitised to understand, embrace and appreciate it like any other contemporary dance forms in the West”, he concluded.

Kuyum Tanzplattform offers invited artists a platform on which they can present neo-African dance performances to a broader audience free from the attributions and clichés that often lurk behind them. It equally aims at helping to outline and create new narratives concerning African dance as an effective art form capable of contributing to the development of dance in the freelance scene of Berlin and beyond.

By John Owoo

(In Berlin – Germany)

The 2024 edition of Tantzplattform ended with an alluring performance of W.O.M.B, a piece that explored childbirth and the subsequent body changes experienced by women after successful deliveries. 

Performed by Julienne Doko, Meire Santos and Naa Ayeley (all based in Denmark), the trio set the Theater Haus in Berlin alight with movemnts that called for an introspective and physical exploration of the female body’s connection to cycles of existence.

Choreographed by Doko with Danish musician Gert Østerġard Pedersen playing live instruments, the dancers engaged in moves that alternated between moments of tension and release while evoking the process of creation birth and growth. 

With busts of three women hanging precariously on stage alongside three dressing mirrors, the dancers often clustered together yet each appeared individually recognisable. Indeed, the movements appear different and similar at the same time.

Doko employed use of the floor as well as slow and deliberate movements, which invited the audience to deeply contemplate each motion. Clearly, the dancers often connect with the ground, which further emphasized themes of fertility, earth and creation. 

W.O.M.B (Worth of My Body), does not shy away from stillness either – the choreographer employed the use of silence as moments of pause, which inevitably allowed both dancers and audience to reflect on the power and vulnerability of the female body. 

The piece further evoked feelings of strength and fragility – this enabled the audience confront the complexities of inhabiting a body – that is constantly changing, evolving and creating. It is not only a celebration of the female body, but an invitation to reflect on how bodies shape identities and experiences. 

An elaborate and evocative work that combines thoughtful choreography, poignant performance and striking visual elements, W.O.M.B. is a celebration of life, identity and the feminine power of creation. It is an unforgettable piece that resonates long after the performance ends.

The festival was sponsored by Hauptstadt Kultur Fonds and Theatre Haus Berlin with friendly support from HZT, Joliba, Berlin Mondiale and Tanz Fähig. Media partners include Berlin Art Link, Rausgegangen, Stadtkultur Berlin, Dinamix and www.artsghana.net. 

Pix – thabo thindi

By John Owoo

Theater Haus Berlin 

Germany

Togolese dancer / choreographer Kossi Sebastien Aholou-Wokawui stunned an enthusiastic audience during a magical performance at the ongoing Kuyum Tanzplatfform Festival.

Clad in a black jacket and matching trousers, his hands, shoulders, head and torso ripple and sway as he contemplates about the present and future of the earth, which is facing all kinds of turbulence. 

Titled “Die Frucht des Lebens”, he opened the show by systematically prying open bags full of sand, which he gradually pours on the stage signifying continuous damage to the earth. Frantic movements unfolded after all six bags of sand turned into a mound on the stage.

Accompanied by a dancer in phantom-like costume with his face completely covered, another bag of sand was gradually poured on Aholou-Wokawui, who exhibited a raucous non-stop laugh for several minutes. 

“Wound” – a dance ritual choreographed by Egyptian dancer Nora Amin made bold comments on the consequences of colonialism, wars and oppression by dictatorial regimes among others while offering a path to healing and reconciliation. 

Performed by Ehab Abdellatif and Amin, the piece centred around fast-moving texts on a huge screen as she comments on issues facing the world at large. Largely employing the use of her arms, she encouraged the audience to dip their fingers into a bowl of water as a sign of unity and healing. 

Staged under a huge tree with the audience gathered around the artists, “Equi Libre” commented on the current state of the world – upheavals, conflicts, hunger, inequalities, diseases and many others that are leading the earth into the brink of collapse.

Co-choreographed and performed by Yahi Nestor Gahé (Côte d’Ivoire) and Sanga Ouattara (Burkina Faso) alongside Ikyeon Park (Korea), the conversation between the three dancers was quite visual as they employed the tree, ropes and huge glass bulbs with tubes or the performance.

Inspired by the famous 19th Century Ghanaian warrior queen –  Nana Yaa Asantewa – Cintia Rangel (Brazil) and Doriane Mbenoun (Belgium) explored the rich and dynamic range of female voices, with a focus on the day-to-day activities of black women in a society dominated by exoticism, sexism and fascism.

A rather inspiring /cutting edge show that grabbed the attention of the audience, the two dancers moved in unison with their sleek bodies as sequences moved into each other with ease. Titled “Black Chroni-Queens”, it is gloriously uncomplicated and a deeply felt performance.   

Burkinabe dancer / choreographer Florent Sidnoma Nikiéma engaged an enthusiastic spectator in an open-air performance at the Theatre Haus. Using a huge tree as the focus of his performance and clad in a fire brigade uniform, he commented on revolts by populations owing to oppression. 

Based on a text by the Haitian writer Eugene Woodkend, he hung two human figures on the tree that signified summary executions alongside a discarded car tyre. In the process, he was engrossed by his message as slow, supple backflips, dramatic turns and acrobatic moves on the tyre charmed the crowd.

The festival is being sponsored by Hauptstadt Kultur Fonds and Theatre Haus Berlin with friendly support from HZT, Joliba, Berlin Mondiale and Tanz Fähig. Media partners include Berlin Art Link, Rausgegangen, Stadtkultur Berlin, Dinamix and www.artsghana.net. 

Pix – thabo thindi

By John Owoo

(In Berlin – Germany)

“Mutual Crossings” – a duet choreographed by Black Pearl proved to be a befitting opener for the 2024 edition of Kuyum Tanzplattform with its powerful message on the imbalance of diverse ecosystems. 

Performing at the Theater Haus Berlin, Fetish Priesta and Pearl employed subtle and galvanizing movements while harnessing music, which played a significant part of the show.   

With live musical gadgets on stage, which produced guttural sounds and melody, the two dancers moved in jerky synchronicity while fluorescent slides projected on screens behind them portrayed a planet that is beset with unsurmountable problems. 

In a solo performance, France based Burkinabe dancer / choreographer Jérôme Kabore presented an impressive, riveting and fresh piece titled “Les Ombres Qui Chantent”, that was characterized by high energy from beginning to the end. 

Rapid propelled movements whipped the air while questioning how we can re-enact the works by prominent African leaders such as Thomas Sankara, Aimé Césaire, Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela and Léopold Sedar Senghor among others. 

With images zooming on the screen and music blaring out of loudspeakers, Kabore’s precarious moves uniquely reflected his politically tinged choreography, which has electrified audiences in Europe and Africa.

“Cash Baby” by Franco-Senegalese dancer Yvonne Sembene, who explored the historical and contemporary issues of black female identity and its relationship to money,  unpacked a performance that was both uplifting and emotional at the same time.

With cash scattered all over the stage, she expressed sensory movements that synchronised and projected an aura of internal power. This she made possible through an ambience that was uplifting while radiating emotions of tranquillity, hope and victory. 

“A House of Peace” by Tanzanian dancer / choregrapher Tadhi Alawi comprised projection of historcal photos of the Tanzanian capital and the positive / negative changes that have beset this city of five million inhabitants. 

Employing swift and subtle movements while criss crossing the stage, he was consumed by nostalgia as images of the city he has fallen in love with flashed on the screens revealing problems with governance and development. 

The festival is being sponsored by Hauptstadt Kultur Fonds and Theatre Haus Berlin with friendly support from HZT, Joliba, Berlin Mondiale and Tanz Fähig. Media partners include Berlin Art Link, Rausgegangen, Stadtkultur Berlin, Dinamix and www.artsghana.net. 

Pix – thabo thindi

By John Owoo

(In Berlin – Germany)

Kuyum Tanzplattform 2024 opened on Wednesday at the Theater Haus Berlin (Germany) with a cool performance by four musicians that heralded five days of varied dance performances, workshops, presentations and discussions. 

Percussionists Nii Ashitey Nsotse (Ghana), Paraya Diallo (Guinea) and Janos Crecelius (Germany) alongside balafonist Moussa Coulibaly (Burkina Faso) lighted up the stage with a histrionic fusion of diverse rhythms. 

The quartet sent the audience on a captivating musical journey through vibrant sounds of Africa that celebrated the diversity of African music as they weaved together traditional beats, contemporary grooves and innovative improvisations. 

Energy emanating from djembes,  doundouns, shakers and the balafon seamlessly flowed through the stage in a mesmerizing soundscape. Indeed, it was a sonic exploration that transported the audience to different parts of the Africa while leaving patrons enthralled by the power of music to unite diverse traditions.

Welcoming artists and other guests to the festival, the director of Kuyum Tanzplattform Felix Dompreh revealed that over thirty countries in Africa, Europe and South America will particpate in the 2024 edition, which will be largely held at the Theater Haus Berlin. 

He stated that the aim of the festival is to offer invited artists a platform on which they can present neo-African dance performances to a broader audience – indeed, free from the attributions and clichés that often lurk behind them.

Kuyum Tanzplattform aims at helping to outline and create new narratives concerning African dance as an effective art form capable of contributing to the development of dance in the freelance scene of Berlin and beyond.

It will equally empower dancers and choreographers of African descent and others to acquire and advance their understanding of “Neo African Dance Forms” through advanced training programs, seminars, workshops and an annual dance festival in Berlin. 

The festival is being sponsored by Hauptstadt Kultur Fonds and Theatre Haus Berlin with friendly support from HZT, Joliba, Berlin Mondiale and Tanz Fähig. Media partners include Berlin Art Link, Rausgegangen, Stadtkultur Berlin, Dinamix and www.artsghana.net.

By John Owoo

(In Kerava – Finland)

Abstract paintings of diverse sizes by Finnish artist Jukka Tapani Pesu are currently underway at Galleria Alli, which is located in the Finnish town of Kerava. 

Largely based on emotions, his works are purely abstract alongside an interplay of colours with elements of landscape but firmly based on sentiments as well as mood – which is gradually developed – often with the help of a relatively sparse palette knife.

Indeed, his works are deeply tied to his emotional expressions and natural influences. His paintings often blend abstract forms with subtle countryside topographies alongside muted color palettes that include earth tones like ochre, sienna and umber. 

Titled “Emotional Demolitions of the Archetype Self”, his artistic approach is one of constant learning, treating each painting as an evolving process where trial and error guide him to unique outcomes that capture and sustain the interest of viewers.

Partially trained at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Pesu, who does not necessarily paint nature is inspired by walks in forests, which are abundant in Finland – a trait that re-occurs in his work. 

Originally working with oil paints, Pesu, who now prefers acrylics for their faster drying time joined Kerava Artists Group in 1976 and has participated in its annual exhibitions for several years. In 1993, he exhibited his works in a solo show in Kerava and Oulainen.

Galleria Alli is located in a historic wooden villa built in 1914 by carpenter Karl Jacob Svensk. It has been preserved over the years and serves as an artistic hub. The gallery is operated by the local art association, KuumArt and has hosted exhibitions since 1990.

The venue is used for rotating exhibitions, often featuring local artists and is widely known for its cozy atmosphere and vibrant art scene.