🔗 Share this article

In the wake of in excess of fifty issues exploring the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a concluding column. The journey proved incredibly rewarding, with sincere thanks extended to every one of the engaged audience.

Inside the Cultural Week

Visiting the showcases, artworks and acts of Accra Cultural Week, observers witness how the finest art feeds and builds a nation's heritage and identity. The focal point was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s remarkable a profound exploration of ritual and time, which showcased his pioneering afrogallonism in full view: a concept that reimagines yellow jerrycans into captivating creations, assemblages of yellow, brass and gold. The display was designed as a testament to the endurance of Jamestown, a historic quarter of Accra.

Jamestown – predominantly home to the Ga people, a fishing community – is furthermore where a great number of freed slaves arrived from Brazil and made their home in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom community, they carried with them Portuguese language and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, visitors encounter a fusion of architectural styles. Standing is Fort Vicentia, featuring its characteristic colonial-era construction and door arches. Also present is the iconic beacon, built in the 1800s and subsequently featuring its signature striped appearance.

A Culture of Mourning

Also striking about Jamestown is the ever-present presence of funeral posters. On every corner, whether plastered over alleyways or on larger billboards, you’ll see funeral details and terms of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are significant community celebrations.

In this spectacular exhibition, every aspect of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are captured – notably in the immersive beach-themed installation. Within it, one is relaxed by the sound of crashing waves with beach material on the floor, while shelters, nets and representations of boats celebrate its vibrant, long-standing seafaring tradition. However experiencing this exhibition space, the mind turns to the mountains of textile waste that compromise the charm and tranquillity of the shoreline.

In Addition to the Centrepiece

There is additional highlights. Housed in an raw space at the University of Ghana, creator Sylvester exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an profoundly affecting, stripped-back show that displayed three-dimensional works and canvases made in collaboration with welders.

Also featured was the competition for female artists for Ghanaian women creators. It featured the inaugural exhibition of a recent laureate, whose work references historical documents to create a artistic representation of life in Ghana after independence. The event also announced a latest winner, whose multidisciplinary work is particularly focused on the weaving practices of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Presence

While the global African community has increasingly been pulled back to the region in the western winter, a growing cohort are thinking about journeying earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the region’s festival period. Between Accra Cultural Week and similar gatherings, what you’ll find are art scenes that are not merely new or “upcoming” but have forged an entire world that is enduring.

Ultimately, the visit offers a perception of Accra that feels like a statement for ecological stewardship and the preservation of culture. It is a powerful homage to adaptability in all its expressions.