In the wake of more than 50 installments navigating the worldwide Black diaspora, this signifies a last dispatch. The tenure proved deeply fulfilling, and great thanks offered to every one of the attentive audience.
Attending the showcases, artworks and shows of the festival, one sees how superior art nourishes and builds a country’s history and identity. The focal point was without doubt Clottey's stunning a profound exploration of ritual and time, which displayed his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that transforms water vessels into illusory creations, tapestries of yellow, brass and gold. The show was created as a tribute to the resilience of the historic district, a venerable area of Accra.
The community – mainly populated by the Ga people, a seafaring people – is furthermore where many freed slaves returned from Brazil and made their home in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom people, they brought Brazilian tongue and culture.
In every part of Jamestown, one observes a blend of architectural styles. You'll find Franklin House, featuring its distinct European-style masonry and curved entrances. Also present is the prominent beacon, built in the 1800s and subsequently sporting its signature striped exterior.
Equally remarkable about Jamestown is the pervasive presence of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it affixed to buildings or on larger billboards, one finds announcements and phrases of loss. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are major social gatherings.
In the artist's impressive show, all of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are evoked – notably in the enveloping beach-themed piece. Here, one is relaxed by the audio of crashing waves with beach material at your feet, while shacks, draped nets and images of boats pay homage to its spirited, multigenerational fishing community. However standing in this exhibition space, the mind turns to the piles of cast-off garments that threaten the aesthetics and peace of the shoreline.
The festival program included additional highlights. Housed in an unfinished structure at the local university, creator Sylvester exhibited a deeply moving minimalist collection, an incredibly moving, minimalist exhibition that featured sculptures and canvases produced in partnership with welders.
And then there is the competition for female artists for female Ghanaian artists. It showcased the debut presentation of a prior laureate, whose work references familial archival records to craft a depiction of life in post-independence Ghana. The event also honored a new champion, whose varied work is deeply focused on the weaving practices of women in Dabala.
Although the overseas community has more and more been drawn back to Ghana during the western winter, an increasing number are contemplating travelling some months earlier to experience the area's cultural season. Between this festival and regional art fairs, what emerges are creative communities that are not merely nascent or “upcoming” but have forged an whole universe that is permanent.
In the end, the experience leaves one with a perception of Accra that feels like a manifesto for conservation and the preservation of heritage. It is a compelling tribute to perseverance in all its expressions.
