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In the wake of over 50 editions exploring the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a last piece. The tenure was incredibly rewarding, with immense thanks extended to all the dedicated audience.

Inside Accra Cultural Week

Visiting the exhibitions, installations and performances of this event, observers witness how exceptional art feeds and builds a country’s heritage and essence. The centrepiece was certainly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which displayed his pioneering afrogallonism on full display: a concept that converts plastic containers into captivating art pieces, mosaics of golden hues. The show was created as a homage to the endurance of Jamestown, a historic area of Accra.

This area – mainly populated by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is furthermore where numerous formerly enslaved people came back from South America and made their home in the 1830s. Called the Tabom community, they brought Brazilian language and culture.

All across Jamestown, one observes a mix of building designs. Standing is Fort Vicentia, with its characteristic European-style brickwork and arched doorways. Another landmark is the famous lighthouse of Jamestown, constructed in the 1800s and eventually featuring its signature striped appearance.

Traditions of Mourning

Furthermore remarkable about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of funeral posters. Everywhere you turn, be it affixed to buildings or on larger billboards, there are service information and expressions of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are significant community celebrations.

In Clottey’s breathtaking exhibition, the entirety of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are captured – particularly in the immersive beach-themed piece. Here, one is relaxed by the audio of crashing waves with sand at your feet, while shacks, draped nets and images of canoes pay homage to its spirited, long-standing fishing community. Yet experiencing this gallery, one cannot help but think of the piles of discarded clothing that compromise the charm and tranquillity of the area.

In Addition to the Main Event

The festival program included much more. Within an raw space at the local university, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, stripped-back exhibition that included three-dimensional works and paintings made in collaboration with welders.

Another key element is the prestigious art award for female Ghanaian artists. It included the inaugural exhibition of a 2024 recipient, whose work references familial archival records to produce a depiction of life in post-independence Ghana. The event also crowned a latest champion, whose diverse work is intensely concerned with the weaving practices of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Legacy

Although the global African community has increasingly been drawn home to west Africa in the colder season, more and more are contemplating travelling some months earlier to experience the region’s festival period. Between this festival and regional art fairs, what emerges are art scenes that are not merely new or “upcoming” but have forged an whole landscape that is enduring.

In the end, the journey offers a image of Accra that feels like a declaration for environmental protection and the safeguarding of tradition. It is a powerful tribute to perseverance in all its manifestations.