By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Guitarist Yogendra Ahimi, violinist Calvin Gyasi, flutist Richmond Ansong and rapper Pampana last Friday delighted over 500 students who participated in the 2018 edition of the National German Cultural Festival, which was held at the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

Fuelled by a fresh fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds, the quartet provided a new rhetoric thereby infusing fresh rhythms into their music as Ahimi filled the air with songs that are related to personal life experiences.

With a rather relaxed yet formidable stage presence, the group treated the young audience to a warm repertoire that was accompanied by a lively, brilliant and engaging performance, which was interspersed with refreshing solos.

The students were emotionally excited about the exploits of young acrobats who exhibited amazing skills with street dancing while performing stunts with flames that glowed on the edge of firewood.

German language study clubs known as “Partners for the Future” (PASCH), from various educational institutions throughout the country participated in the festival by showcasing diverse performances including drama, music, poetry, reading and drawing – with a few schools picking up prizes.

These include Accra Academy, German Swiss School, Complex School, Cradle of Grace Montessori School, Collège St. Pierre Claver, Wesley Girls and Opoku Ware who showcased their skills of the German language through presentations that received applause from their colleagues and elderly members of the audience.

The PASCH initiative was launched by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office and it’s implemented in cooperation with the Central Agency for Schools Abroad, Goethe-Institut, German Academic Exchange Service and the Educational Exchange Service of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs in Germany.

It operates with four main guiding principles – prospects through education, broadened horizons through multilingualism, access to language / education and joint tackling of future problems as members of an international community of learners.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Gallery 1957 – a contemporary art space located within the plush confines of the Kempinski Hotel in Accra – is currently hosting multi-media works by the Togolese Nigerian artist Modupeola Fadugba.

Titled “Dreams from the Deep End”, the works, which are the result of a recent residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Programme in New York (USA), characterize paintings, drawings and socially charged installations that address various issues.

These include ideas of identity, social justice and a game theory that enable her navigate contested cultural hierarchies – while exploring community and teamwork in water – through the lens of tense racial history of communal swimming pools.

Largely influenced by “Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools”, a book by American author Jeff Wiltse, which explores the history of public pools and their privatization in relation to race politics and community life, Fadugba equally has an intense attraction for swimming pools.

Curated by writer Katherine Finerty, paintings on display boldly present an emphatic story while offering a clarification of the feelings and emotions felt by the swimmers – whether afloat or submerged beneath the calm waters of swimming pools.

Her familiar use of burnt paper, which she expertly drapes with gold leaves, pastel hues and monochromes is currently applied to new motifs that fully embrace lifeguards, melting ice cream cones, swimmers of varying ages, gender and perseverance.

Despite her previous work figuratively portraying swimmers, her latest paintings have moved from the ideas of abstractness to characterizing figures that shed personality and convey a story of collaboration and competition.

Born in Lomé (Togo), Fadugba has a background in economics, engineering and education and holds a BEng in Chemical Engineering / MA in Economics from the University of Delaware and MEd from Harvard University – all in the USA. She lives and works in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Also an independent curator and art historian, Finerty focuses on research-based and socially engaged practices, trans local identity politics and contemporary African art. She works collaboratively to develop alternative cultural discourses while creating multi-disciplinary art experiences that encourage immersive participation and progressive exchanges between diverse publics.

Finerty has a Masters in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art, London (UK), a BA in History of Art and Africana Studies from Cornell University, New York (USA) and has studied History of Art at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge (UK).

The exhibition ends on Wednesday October 31.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Three national artistic groups last Tuesday opened the 2018 edition of the Ghana Theatre Festival with a magnetic dance drama that evoked nostalgic feelings among elderly members of the audience.

Performing at the National Theatre in Accra, the National Symphony Orchestra and the National Dance / Drama companies sent the crowd on a memorable journey of variated traditional dance pieces, folk tunes and griot like storytelling alongside concert party slants.

Addressing hot button topics such as economy, environment, health, education and other problems facing the country – the groups severally and jointly recalled the intimacy, intricacy, acrimony and spirituality that characterized the country in the past – as subtle movements, loud traditional drums and cool rhythms flowed freely from the stage.

“It was refreshing to see contemporary problems being dramatically fused with those of the past in a traditional setting. “Lantaaba” was powerfully delivered as the directors did not attempt to obscure its meaning” said Nii Ayikwei Aryee, a playwright based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“Sounds from the symphony orchestra virtually took me back to the 1950s and 60s as it resulted in the recollection of treasured moments. I hope they will record these folk tunes and make them available to the public at an affordable price”, added Kofi Ntiamoah, a young violinist in Accra.

With a distinctive set fashioned out of a stylized baobab tree that linked the past and present, this interdisciplinary performance directed by Nii Tete Yartey / Mawuli Semevor, translated diverse dance forms into a choreography of purpose and energy that swayed an enthusiastic audience.

With lullabies, folk and highlife tunes from the 1960s flowing slowly and crisply from the symphony orchestra conducted by Isaac Annor, the dancers moved in a geometric fashion while sluggishly increasing the complexity of their movements with change in pitch and tones.

Divergence grew into a protracted climax, as one female artist in battle gear goes berserk and attempts to usurp the authority of the rulers while several attempts to thwart her efforts and the other subjects end in failure thereby resulting in a supernatural intervention.

Other events slated for the festival, which forms part of the 25^th anniversary celebrations of the National Theatre of Ghana, include film shows, concerts, theatre performances / poetry slams and many more.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Noted for his diverse work with identity and familiarity of the Caribbean, Martinican photographer Robert Charlotte continues his research with another body of work following a month long residency in Ghana as part of the Nuku Photo Festival.

Indeed, his work in Accra, which forms part of the framework of a project dubbed “Transatlantic Artistic Dialogues: Caribbean West Africa” is currently on display in the gardens of the Alliance Française in Accra.

Supported by Alliance Française Accra, Institut Français Ghana, Fondation Clément and the Embassy of France in Ghana, the project is meant to stimulate the creation of new works by crossing ideas, languages, aesthetics and African – Caribbean territories through cross-residencies, while encouraging transnational artistic and cultural exchanges.

Titled “Correspondence”, the portraits, which comprise male and female Ghanaians in diverse inexpressive postures, were shot in one of the post offices in Accra with its ubiquitous red boxes and printed white numbers as common backgrounds.

With a meticulous look at behaviours, attitudes and expressions, Charlotte makes each pose become a frontal encounter where faces take on a strange charisma – indeed one of mystery while blurring the faces of other subjects.

He photographs parts of the human body including legs and feet that appear overworked, tired and quite unkempt thereby commenting on the plight of the working class, whose situation continue to regress owing to mismanagement and challenges facing the economy.

The post boxes recollect the once postal giant that served Ghanaians locally and internationally during the days when Internet and smart phones were still on the drawing board. It has become a pale showdown of itself mostly delivering parcels in recent years.

Born in 1966 in Martinique where he grew up and currently resides, Charlotte studies at the Paris School of Photography from 1986 to 1989 and later stayed on to work in a studio of industrial photography where he delved into reporting, illustration and team control among others.

The exhibition ends on Sunday October 14.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

The maiden edition of “Let’s Talk Poetry”, a monthly forum that seeks to bring together poets, writers, critics and lovers of literature took off last week at the library of the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

Facilitated by poet / arts development consultant Crystal Tettey, a panel comprising poet Apiorkor Seyram Ashong Abbey and writer / poet Nana Nyarko Boateng dilated on issues relating to “Spoken Word” and “Written Word”.

The panelists lamented on the ever-dwindling reading habit among Ghanaian youth tracing the problems to the change in curriculum, which virtually removed reading as a subject in primary schools with the lack of libraries and inception of smart mobile phones among others compounding the problem.

Undeniably, Spoken and Written Word compliment each other although the written text tends to eliminate an important context such as body language, tone of voice and even background noise – elements that aid in physical engagement.

Certainly, Ashong Abbey and Boateng, who have severally and jointly made huge efforts through workshops and regular reading programmes to promote the culture of reading among pupils and students in various parts of the country, are upbeat about gains being made to get the youth to read.

Indeed, with spoken word, one can add emotions in the speech and influence the audience – a feat that is possible but obviously not easy with the written word. However, it appears both genres have been able to compliment each other through the activities of Ashong Abbey and Boateng in the struggle to improve the reading habits of young Ghanaians.

Singer / songwriter Eli A. Free and keyboardist Kojo Free delighted the enthusiastic audience, who equally shared their experience with both spoken and written word with heart warming acoustic music that appeared to flow directly from a continuous stream.

The programme, which was interspersed with readings by Ashong Abbey who presented a poem titled “The Honey Pot”, while Nyarko read extracts from “The Jonah Fast” – one of three books she recently authored – was sponsored by Goethe-Institut Ghana.

By John Owoo

Museum of Science & Technology

Accra – Ghana

Internationally acclaimed Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, last week explained the complexities, contradictions, politics, social links and other issues that confront the assemblage of his vast sacs that have draped diverse buildings in Ghana and beyond.

Making a presentation at a panel discussion in Accra moderated by artist / academic Dr. Bernard Akoi-Jackson, which forms part of events marking an exhibition dubbed “African Modernism – Architecture of Independence”, he gave a point by point narrative of how these sacs are processed before ending up on giant structures.

Titled “Exchange. Exchanger. Before, After and Hence. Ibrahim Mahama Confronts Max Gerlach, Drew, Fry and Owusu Addo”, the programme attracted diverse people from all walks of life in Accra and beyond, who have been captivated by the installations by Mahama.

Indeed, Mahama’s unconstrained installations and wrappings engage public spaces, while altering ordinary sites into awe-inspiring photographic experiences. They are sporadically embellished by the insertion of mass-produced Chinese/African print patches, which complements an additional layer of interpretation of the global movement of goods.

Sac-draped buildings and monuments by the artist, invite viewers and passers by to experience sublime and highly inspirational artworks, parts of which have been documented in a book titled “Exchange – Exchanger”, which was published by Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König (Germany) in collaboration with White Cube Gallery and blaxTARLINES KUMASI.

Imported by the Ghana Cocoa Company from India and Bangladesh and re-purposed by charcoal, fertilizer and other merchants, he purchases “millions” of these new sacs and exchanges them for old ones before commencing his economic, political and socially charged works.

Mahama, who is currently a PhD student at the Department of Painting and Sculpture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, said the preparation process requires effective interaction alongside traversing complicated and multiple publics while forging distinct relationships along the production line.

Touching on the issue of sensitivity during production, he revealed the use of traditional and gender partitioning of labour adding that there are two types of workers – paid ones and collaborators, some of whom have been on several projects while others were simply transient.

His co-panelist, curator Kwasi Ohene Ayeh, who also a PhD student at the Department of Painting and Sculpture (KNUST), dilated on issues confronting Mahama and his practice including visa denials for his collaborators during biennales in Europe – a move, which hampers the globalization of free movement and undeniably his gigantic installations.

He stated that Mahama’s work involves a rather deep interaction with diverse cultures and climates – including shoe-shine boys, refugees, students, porters and many others, who assist in works that uncovers the shipments / ownerships of sacs while rendering visible the mechanisms of trade which define the world’s economy.

Ohene Ayeh equally referred to the commodification of the sacs by Mahama, which obviously initiates communication while mentioning the issue of symbolism, which differs from building to building covered by the colossal Mahama sacs, while uncovering the remarkable transitions of ownership.

Mahama’s work has been displayed in international exhibitions including Documenta 14 in Athens (Greece) and Kassel (Germany) as well as several venues in Accra, Kumasi and elsewhere, where it simply woos the viewing public with its socio-political enquiries.

The exhibition, which ends on Monday August 27, is being presented by Goethe-Institut Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and blaxTARLINES KUMASI, a contemporary art space at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

It was first shown at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil em Rhein (Germany) and is currently touring a number of countries in Africa. It will also be displayed at the blaxTARLINES KUMASI space in September 2018.

Pictures – Goethe-Institut Ghana / Vome

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

A huge exhibition, comprising eighty symbolic photographs by Alexis Webster (South Africa) and Iwan Baan (The Netherlands) that vividly illustrate post-colonial structures in five African countries is currently underway at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra.

Titled “African Modernism – Architecture of Independence”, it follows a scholarly work by the award wining German architect / academic Manuel Herz alongside Ingrid Schröder, Hans Focketyn and Julia Jamrozik that categorized architecture in Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Zambia.

Constructed in the 1960s and 70s with designs largely by European architects, the buildings evoke diverse issues relating to politics, culture, liberation, shades, climate, societal norms and identity as well as the challenges and paradoxes faced by the then new states.

Largely designed by French and English architects, the images equally offer a trail of the different approaches to growth and economic development undertaken by various independence leaders, who were bent of proving their capacity / ability to govern and effectively manage the affairs of their various countries.

Undeniably, the exhibition fundamentally succeeds in getting the viewer to understand the architecture and the mind set that commissioned these structures, which are replete with inconsistency, complexity and yet full of creativity and sophistication.

Although, there were not many local architects at the time of construction, one Ghanaian architect John Owusu Addo was involved in the designs of some of these modernist structures. It is sad to note that the legacy of these buildings have been questioned owing to the apparent lack of interest in the continuation and development of this style of architecture.

“African Modernism – Architecture of Independence” equally raises the question of architectural training in Africa and the aspirations of both young and established architects for the future, which is full of high expectations owing to the apparent growth of several economies on the continent.

These questions will be tackled by a series of panel discussions and presentations being curated by the Ghanaian artist / academic Dr. Bernard Akoi-Jackson. Topics slated for presentation and discussion include “Between the High Sea and a very Hard Rock: Modernization. Modernism”,

Others are “Revisiting the threat and manifestation of neo colonialism in Africa”, Better off in the bush: On slavery, colonialism and truncation of development in Africa” and “Exchange. Exchanger: Before, After and Hence, Ibrahim Mahama confronts Max Gerlach, Drew, Fry and Owusu Addo”.

Panelists include Prof Owusu Afram (Lecturer, KNUST) Bärbel Müller (Lecturer, University of Applied Arts, Austria), Nontombeko Ntombela (Wits University, South Africa), Prof. G.W. Ntsiful (Lecturer, KNUST), Nat Nuno Amarteifio, Joe Osae Addo, Augustus Richardson (Architects – Ghana) and Ibrahim Mahama / Kwasi Ohene Ayeh (Artists / PhD students, KNUST).

The exhibition, which ends on Monday August 27, is being presented by Goethe-Institut Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and blaxTARLINES KUMASI, a contemporary art space the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

It was first shown at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil em Rhein (Germany) and is currently touring a number of countries in Africa. It will also be displayed at the blaxTARLINES space in September 2018.

Pictures – Goethe-Institut Ghana / Vome 

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

 A dramatic fusion of harmonic complexity and spiraling melody alongside a magnificent voice last week delighted jazz fans at the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

In a rather powerful concert featuring Luxemburg based Beninois guitarist, Lionel Loueke and the French / German singer Céline Rudolph, patrons were treated to epic compositions that resemble open panoramas inundated by climaxes of sound.

With tunes form their recent album titled “Obsession” – the jazz duo went into their own world and dished out masterpieces that are full of tremendous emotional power, depth and sensitivity that appeared to move in a continuous stream.

“It was a breathtaking performance – they managed to capture the attention of the audience from beginning to the end. This is definitely one of the best jazz concerts I have seen in this country for a very long time”, said David Owusu, a jazz enthusiast in Accra.

Undeniably, the tunes managed to send the multi racial audience, which included several members of the Jazz Society of Ghana into a solemn musical journey – indeed, an expedition where high quality jazz flowed through an endless watercourse.

Employing astounding rhythms and sounds from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Cotonou (Benin), Berlin (Germany) and Memphis (USA), the crowd was enchanted with lyrics on a wide range of subjects as a variety of vocal techniques and extended guitar skills from Rudolph and Loueke respectively filled the cool night air.

“I enjoyed every bit of the concert. Indeed, I was swayed by the voice of Rudolph, which circled the air like a whirlwind. I learnt a lot form her and hope to perform like her in the near future”, added Naa Kwaley, a singer in Accra.

In a related event, a workshop with local musicians comprising Bernard Ayisa (trumpet), Victor Dey (keyboard), Nii Quaye Aryee (guitar) and Quayba (vocals) among others, dilated on chord progressions, pentatonic scales, guitar techniques and improvisations, which resulted in spontaneous compositions.

Goethe-Institut supported the performance in Accra, which formed part of a wider tour of several West African counties including Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.