Contemporary Ghanaian Art

Ghana and the Cultural Influence on Art

 Located along the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana is a small, yet leading country in West Africa. Due to natural wealth agriculture, forestry, and fishing are foundations for many aspects of Ghanaian life, which has made them a popular subject matter in many different contemporary artworks. In rural areas where agriculture is the main economic activity, women have been responsible for farming as well as marketing goods, furthermore gender roles have played a large part in this rich culture and have been carried by tradition into modern years. Related to farming and a common subject matter in art, head-porting has been practiced by mostly women in order to carry goods to and from areas in Ghana. Although this practice has become an aesthetic for art, Kayayei (head-porters) undergo many hardships and challenges. Despite being rather unethical it is sometimes necessary for survival. While traditional art of Ghana consist mainly of textiles and wooden carvings, aesthetic art is mostly modern and the community of these artists is small. 

Contemporary Ghanaian Art

Crossing River Orubor, by Benjamin Sebi Amenortey, Ghana (exact year unknown) 

Art Elements : 

First and foremost, the use of vibrant color is eye-catching and portrays the river scene as calm and serene. green, yellow, and white are used to depict different and ever-changing colors of river water as well as the reflection of the sun. Bold colors are applied to the characters to display the cultural fashion of Ghana. Texture is created by using short brush strokes and small application of paint in areas such as the the baskets carried by the head-porters. This provides the viewer with the idea that the baskets are rough and potentially woven. To create the separation of the sky and river, the artist creates a shift in value. Darker values of blue and green depict the river, while lighter values depict the sky and the distancing of the water.  

Appreciation:

What initially sparked my interest about this painting was the title Crossing the Orubor River. I thought Orubor was the name of a river, but I couldn't find anything about it. After looking up the meaning of the word "Orubor", I learned that it can mean independence and strength, so perhaps the artist intended to include the word in the title to symbolize the strength of the river or the people crossing it. I enjoy the feelings of serenity when looking at this painting, and I think it's almost ironic because when I think of carrying multiple pounds on top of my head in the heat of West Africa I imagine it would be a miserable experience, but I think it's interesting the artist portrayed this particular tradition with a more positive feeling. 

Family Talk, by Ben Agbee, 2017, Ghana

Art Elements: 

What is interesting about this painting is the combination of minimalism, expressionism, and intricate patterns. Agbee's use of lines creatively portray a family of three, goats, large walking/herding sticks, as well as distant houses and trees amongst land. Specifically, lines are used as a form of shading in the middle goat as well as to create shading on the land in the bottom left corner of the artwork. An intricate pattern makes up two of the clothings worn by the characters as well as what seems to be a pot held by one person. The expressionism that is used on the top of the painting provides texture to the horizon due to the short applications of paint and variety of tones and color. 

Appreciation:

This artwork, in my opinion, is unique due to the variety of artistic styles. Both the top and bottom areas of Family Talk are represented differently yet cohesively bring the painting together. I also really enjoy the subject matter and the representation of Ghanaian culture by the depiction of patterned clothing, rural area, and the mother carrying a baby on her back. At first I wasn't sure what the artist was trying to convey with his expressionism but perhaps it is meant to show clouds or the heat in the sky. The emotion provided by this art makes me feel a sense of relief. The scene makes me think of a long day of work finished, and the relief of it being time to go home. 

Waiting for the Manna, by Joseph A. Quay, Ghana, (exact year unknown)

Art Elements:

Use of a variety of color to depict light and shade is creatively intriguing. Shading underneath the basket is  depicted by using a darker value of colors such as pink and blue, while lighting on the side of the basket is depicted using a lighter value of green. Additionally, the bright blue and indigo of the woman's skirt as well as her green head wrap create a pop of color, which brings the viewers attention to her. Squiggly lines collectively make up the entire painting, which are also illustrated in a rainbow of colors. Horizontal and diagonal lines also characterize the texture of the baskets. 

Appreciation:

What I like most about Waiting for the Manna is the representation of the struggles that are faced in Ghana  and the humbling aspect of the scenario. The word "Manna" is a reference to the Bible in which God provided food to the Israelites, so essentially the title of the painting means "waiting for food". The emotion associated with this artwork to me is hope and a sense of humbleness. The woman is waiting and probably hoping for food, and it's humbling to me because life in Ghana is so different than it is here in America. Artistically, the squiggly lines throughout the painting are a creative way to fill in space that isn't the focal point. 

Conclusion

The best part about writing this blog was the opportunity to learn and view the aspects of a different culture through the media of art. As an anthropology major, culture is fascinating to me and learning about it through art is great because it allows the viewer to step into that scenario for a brief moment. Contemporary Ghanaian art is important because it captures the essence of culture, tradition, and life in Ghana in a way that can be interpreted by people from all different backgrounds and all over the world. 

“Ghana.” Countries and Their Cultures, https://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Ghana.html

Age, John D, and Donna J Maier. “Visual History of the World.” History of Art: Visual History of the World, http://www.all-art.org/Visual_History/01ghana1.htm. 

Berry, LaVerle. “The Position of Women.” Ghana - the Position of Women, 1994, http://countrystudies.us/ghana/49.htm.