From Accra to Tamale, exploring Ghana afforded a unique insight into its flourishing contemporary art scene.
Starting in the capital we toured the studios at Artematis, a collective opened in 2018 to represent emerging artists, working with museums and art institutions globally. The Artists Alliance Gallery, one of Ghana’s most important art centres and largest gallery was a must-see, championing contemporary as well as traditional African art. Our next stop on the trip, Tamale, is newer on the art scene but fast becoming a notable centre for contemporary art, spear-headed by artist Ibrahim Mahama’s and his development of key art spaces in the city.
We visited both the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art and the Red Clay Studio. The former functions as a project space, exhibition and research hub and artists’ residency, while the latter covers more than 200 acres of land, showcasing large-scale installations. Mahama himself has found much success with these installations, representing Ghana at the Venice Biennale.