The Ghanaian Art Sector comes out in full force and in Style to honour one of its own: Prof Joe Nkrumah

NSOROMA: The Cultural Legacy of Joe Nkrumah

Nsoroma: Like the stars, I am one of the children of the Highest One and rest in God,trusting not only in myself.

The Dei Centre is pleased to present ‘Nsoroma’ an exhibition that featuring portraits of the late Professor Joseph Nkrumah, an internationally renowned conservator, curator and intellectual. Nsoroma, an Adinkra symbol means ‘a star’ and implies the philosophical message-‘Like the stars, I am one of the children of the highest one and rest in God, trusting not only in myself’. 'Adinkra’ an Akan word, literally means "saying good-bye (farewell) to" and always implies a philosophical message with its symbols.)

Nsoroma will include a range of modern and conceptual explorations of portraiture in a variety of media including painting, video, sculpture and photography that aim to honour his legacy. Of all the traditional genres in art, portraiture has persisted through the ages and has proven to be a central ongoing subject of scholarly and artistic exploration. The portraits included in this exhibition seek to explore the historical, mythical and psychic stature that the late Professor Joseph Nkrumah occupies in the imagination of countless people he touched both locally and internationally. These works expand beyond superficial physical likeness but seek to embody the intangible connection that each artist in the exhibition had with Joe Nkrumah while simultaneously canonizing Joe Nkrumah as a beacon of light in the history of art and culture in Ghana.

This exhibition features renowned Ghanaian artists such as Kofi Dawson, Ato Delaquis, Benjamin Offei-Nyako, Glen Turner, Atta Kwami, George Hughes, Rikki Wemega-Kwawu, Wisdom E. Kudowor, Larry Otoo, Marigold Akuffo-Addo, Kofi Setordji, Samuel Opoku, Nii-Obodai, Victor Butler, Kwame Asomani, Emmanuel Adiamah, Gabriel Eklou, Kofi Agorsor, Kwame Akoto aka Almighty God, Mardey Ohui Ofoe, Akwele Suma Glory, Kwadwo Ani, Nana Boakye Kanto, Sir Black and Frempong Akuoko Adee, as well as international artists El Anatsui (Ghana, Nigeria), Senam Okudzeto (Ghanaian and American) Godfried Donkor (Ghanaian), Lyle Ashton Harris (American), Virginia Ryan (Italian), Renée Neblett (American), Pamela Clarkson (English), Nancy Barton(American), Michael Cohen (American), Christa Sanders (American), Samuel Olou (Togolese) and Akirash
(Nigerian).

The exhibition will also include a new generation of artists including Kofi Adjei, Adwoa Amoah, Tei Mensah Huage, Asabea, Katy A Hamer, Ani Simon-Kennedy, Barbara Fitz, Kati Torda, Nicola A. Knight, James Donovan, Sabrina Whyte, Thomas McDonell, Mawuli Tofah, Nicholas Wayo, Kwabena Antwi-Danso, Irene Oppong- Peprah, Michael T Sowah, Michael M Martey, and Jennifer Mensah.

There will be performances throughout the evening including Africa Sound Project (Panji Anoff & Nii Noi Nortey), Prince Marfo and his acapella group, harp player Nana Baffour Kyeremateng and inspirational and thumb pianist Boaten-Kodua Akyeampong. The evening will feature an exciting live and silent auction led by the inimitable art patron Nat Amarteifio (former Mayor of Accra.) Proceeds from the auction will go to the creation and support of the Joe Nkrumah Library at the Dei Centre.

Nsoroma: The Cultural Legacy of Joe Nkrumah is curated by Lyle Ashton Harris in collaboration with Irene Oppong-Peprah and the Dei Centre National Service fellows Michael T Sowah, Michael M Martey and Jennifer Mensah.

A brochure is available and a fully illustrated publication is forthcoming.

For further information or assistance please contact:
Irene Oppong-Peprah
0245855718/0307013133
reneeo123@yahoo.com

Michael T Sowah
0208310393/0247832697
michaeltsowah@gmail.com

HAPPY NEW DECADE

I would like to say that 2010 started with a bang and in some ways it did but in a quiet sort of way with interesting artistic interactions in Accra where I spent the holidays but also had the opportunity to get an insight into some of the exciting visual art developments in what has habitually been overlooked as a visual art backwater (sorry cousins but you know what i mean). However, Accra is gearing up to give even Lagos a run for its art. And I will post information in the next few days. I will try my best in 2010 to post more information and keep the blog as current as possible.

So I will like to take this opportunity to wish everyone that has visited and will visit this blog an exciting and successful 2010. May you live long and prosper.