By John Owoo
(Accra – Ghana)
An exhibition at the Center for National Culture in Accra invites audiences to reconsider humanity’s relationship with nature, drawing on spiritual traditions from Africa and the Christian world to explore the urgent need for environmental responsibility.
Titled Beyond Creation: Humanity, Nature and Spirituality – A Universal Message, the exhibition brings together forty artists from diverse countries for a cross-cultural dialogue on the sacred connections between people and the natural environment.
Curated by Nuna Adisenu Doe and Andrea Walter Ghia, the exhibition positions art as a platform for reflecting on ecological concerns through spiritual, cultural, and material perspectives. Participating countries include Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Sudan, Italy, Canada, Jamaica and Ukraine.
Conceived around the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi’s death, the exhibition draws parallels between the Franciscan tradition of reverence for creation and African indigenous spiritual systems, which have long regarded rivers, forests, hills, and animals as integral to the relationship among the living, the ancestors, and the spiritual world.
Rather than treating nature as a resource to be exploited, the curatorial concept presents it as a living presence that deserves respect and protection. This perspective aligns with traditional African practices, such as sacred groves, seasonal hunting restrictions, and taboos against polluting water bodies, which have historically helped preserve biodiversity while sustaining cultural memory.
The artists explore these ideas through diverse media, including painting, photography, sculpture, and installation. Their practices foreground materials gathered from natural environments and discarded objects, transforming overlooked elements into vehicles for contemplation and renewed awareness.
Bark, leaves, weathered surfaces, and found objects become more than artistic materials; they retain traces of their histories while artistic intervention gives them new meanings. These approaches challenge conventional ideas about value, consumption, and waste, encouraging viewers to reconsider what society often overlooks or discards.
The exhibition unfolds through three interconnected themes: The Sacred in Creation, Brothers and Sisters of the Earth, and Guardians of the Future. Together, these sections trace a progression from recognizing nature’s spiritual significance to understanding humanity’s interdependence with other living beings and accepting responsibility for the planet’s future.
Beyond its spiritual reflections, the exhibition raises pressing questions about contemporary environmental degradation and the role of cultural knowledge in addressing ecological challenges. Its dialogue between African cosmologies and Franciscan thought suggests that environmental stewardship is not merely a modern scientific concern but also an ethical responsibility rooted in long-standing traditions.
Ultimately, Beyond Creation offers a timely reminder that humanity cannot separate its well-being from that of the natural world. By bringing art, spirituality, and ecological consciousness into conversation, the exhibition invites audiences to move beyond passive appreciation of nature toward a deeper commitment to its protection.
The exhibition ends on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
