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Last night, I went to the Goethe Institute in Accra to see their current exhibit open. I go to a lot of these events, being a lover of the arts, but this one was special becuase the artists were school children – well, rather youths – and hence represent the future of Ghanaian art.
There were giraffes, portraits, market scenes and animal sculptures – most notably a beautiful plaster owl made by a young man not much bigger then the owl itself.
But there was also a piece that grabbed my attention because of its clear message. Allison Elisabeth and Pele Vuncujovi had together created the African continent in papier maché – richly decorated in red, green and gold. In the middle of the continent a pair of black hands mysteriously stretch out, as if they were asking for something. As you stand back to look at the installation, you see a question mark circling the hands.
In the picture the artists by their work.
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2 Comments
>This comment may be a bit (well, okay rather late), but I only just stumbled onto this blog today and was looking around. I went to GIS all my life and I disagree with Esi – just because one attends a private international school it does not mean that one is blind and unaware of the issues around him. You interpret their art as they live a rich life so they don't understand why everyone else's life should be like theirs. I interpret it as they see all of Africa's rich resources and they are sending a message out to the leaders that there is no need to borrow money or accept more aid from the developed world – Africa's resources are rich and right in front of them.
It is Western mentality that every African should be poor and begging for white people to come and help them.
>Thanks anon for engaging in the debate, it is not late at all – this discussion is still very necessary.
Regardless of the students' motivations behind this piece of art, do we want Africa to be synonymous with begging?
I think all of us who have engaged in this debate would like to say no.