Participants
Blaykyi Kenyah
My work often utilizes art to investigate the possibilities inherent in itself. My subjects are eclectic, and medium often follows interest in my practice, but irrespective of the medium, —be it film photography, where I started out, to digital photography, sculpture, and conceptual work— I have sought to reflect on the relationship between art-as-object and art-as-discourse. This was initially subtle, for example in ‘Secret Places’, where I reflected on erosion, man-made and natural, by juxtaposing images of naturally exposed elements with buildings that are considered no longer worthy of use. In later work, this investigation has become more explicit, as I develop a curiosity towards what the expansion of the boundaries of art can mean for its content, for example, in ‘Walmart Project’.
David Kojo Derban
Kojo Derban studied at the school of Architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology from 1991-1998. During his early years, he developed an interest in the social, environment and cultural affairs of rural and sub-urban Africa leading to his undergrad dissertation in the Spontaneous settlements or Zongo development. Throughout his years he combined his study of basic tropical Architecture with personal research into rural and urban problems and building forms so as to evolve solutions for development. During his post graduate years, he gained a keen interest in Ancient African cultures, Art and history of West Africa leading to his Thesis Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography-Tamale dubbed the Sanctuary of the Ancestors. While practicing, Architect Kojo Derban is currently researching into Ancient African Civilizations, and the influence on traditional modern and contemporary Architecture.
Hanson Akatti
The digital arts scene in Ghana has evidently seen a growth over the last couple of years. One of the major names that has helped shape the growing art form is Hanson Akatti.
Isshaq Ismail
Ismail is a Multidisciplinary Artist and a product of Ghanatta College of Arts and Design. He investigates and explores grotesque figures and textures in his paintings. Ismail’s works are a conversation on place and identity, providing an intimate look at social, cultural and political realities of living in this dynamic 21st century and poetically expressing how those realities ultimately impact one’s Identity. Its all about emotions and moods of the society. For example Anxiety, Anguish, Aspirations, boredom, apathy, empathy etc
Kwabena Agyare Yeboah
Kwabena A. Yeboah is a writer who reports on the arts, culture, health, science, and politics in Ghana.
Blebo Michael Jackson
Blebo Michael Jackson also known as Troy was born in Accra, Ghana in July 1993 where he currently lives and works. Troy got his Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts – BFA (Sculpture) in 2018 from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Currently, working as a visiting artist and understudied the patron/artist Kwame Akoto Bamfo at Osramba studios at Ada, from August 2018 – till date. Scale plays a major role in his artworks as he was influenced by the large scale works of some artist such as Richard Serra, Laurie Lipton, Ibrahim Mahama, Adonna Khare etc. He employs sculpture, installation and drawing at the helm of his practice.
Nana Adwoa Frema Amoabeng
Nana Adwoa Frema Amoabeng is a professional artist who specializes in landscape Acrylic paintings, through a combination of colour, texture, and style. She also has expertise in painting on t-shirts and interior & exterior decor. She has obtained a Professional Certificate from the Ghanatta College of Art and Design. She loves poetry and loves to design with natural objects. She has exhibited her Artwork at Alliance Française Accra, Republica Accra, and also an in-house artist at the Bedford art gallery where she has worked for three years. She is passionate about teaching and offers courses for kids with special needs at New Horizon Special school and also has a summer class with kids at Mommzi Kidsville. She has also been featured in the Daily Dispatch newspaper on ‘The face of Art Work in the Digital World’. Frema is optimistic about the future of women’s participation in the Ghanaian art scene and looks forward to taking her work in many places.
Livingstone Amoako
Livingstone Amoako (b. 1976) hails from Seniagya in the Ashanti Region of Ghana where he lives and works. He has drawn particular attention for his colossal snail shells installations – distinctive large-scale forms of thousands of snail shells sourced from market women in Kumasi. He then through ardent process of assemblage, puts them together with binding wire, and mostly installs them at public spaces. His monumental pieces draw connections between consumption, waste, environmental issues and climate change. Livingstone was trained at the Department of Painting and Sculpture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi where he had both his BFA and MFA. He has exhibited extensively in particular Kumasi and Accra.
Prince Amanfo
I am Prince Amanfo An artist in fine Art and a sculptor too I had my degree at University of Education Winneba and collage of Art and industry Kumasi. I taught at Just Love senior High School – Obuasi, Teaching Assistance at Boa Amposem Senior High School – Dunkwa, Winneba Secondary and Adisadel College. I proceeded to teach art in an international school, Dison International I do painting, pencil work, sculpture, room designs, landscape and many more I live in Accra, Pokuase I have stop teaching and wants to concentrate on the art more because it was consuming all my time and I had less time to work So I’m now home and working as a full time artist.
Sharifah Issaka
I am a multi-disciplinary creative living and working in Accra, Ghana. I was born in Ghana but raised between Canada and Saudi Arabia: a cross-continental upbringing that would go on to inform both my academic and creative pursuits. After studying Global Development (Queen’s University) and Media Studies (The New School), I returned home to the continent and got to work. My career path has been decidedly non-linear (including work in film, design, tourism, and journalism), but the common thread has always been my desire to share my deep admiration for her country, culture, and creative community with the wider world. I have done many things, but everything I do is for Ghana.
Sheilla Aishetu Nelson
Aisha dreams, writes, thinks, creates and is currently a college teacher in Accra, Ghana.Some of her writing was shortlist by Erbacce Press; another won Akwantuo Writing’s Harmattan Poetry Prize.More of Aisha’s work has featured in outlets including Kalahari Review; an Accra Theatre Workshop stage production, an African Walks into a Psychiatrist’s Office and other Short Plays; One Ghana One Voice; Phillis Wheatley Chapter’s annual Chicken Soup publication; Munyori Literary Journal; a Writers Project of Ghana poetry anthology, ‘According to Sources’; Saraba Magazine;
Yaa Addae
Yaa Addae, also known as yaa the plant, is a Ghanaian-British multidisciplinary strategist. The emancipatory potential of play is central to her practice, as is dreamwork. Rooted in indigenous African invention, Yaa works to reimagine cultural infrastructure and expand means of producing art histories. Drawn to collective knowledge-making, Yaa co-birthed ‘Black Diaspora Literacy: From Negritude to Drake’ with frequent collaborator, Muna Mohamed. Supported by Tufts University’s Experimental College, ‘YANA’ designed and brought to life a 10 week course on the interconnectedness of Black cultural production throughout the diaspora.