'For a better future, we must go back'

In our current world, the drive for technological advancement and sustainability often overlooks deeply rooted human values. Despite promises of enhancing our lives, technology may weaken our human connections and experiences. As an artist, I foresee a future where traditional sources of joy and community are threatened by our relentless pursuit of a technology-driven utopia. My childhood memories of our well-maintained environments and strong ties within the Ghanaian communities have inspired me to pursue a call for balance in this direction. Based on this inspiration I emphasize the need to balance contemporary and traditional values, through symbolized totems through metal sculptures that fuse old and new materials through the welding technique. I use the Ghanaian symbol "Sankofa" and the mythical phoenix bird to underscore the importance of learning from previous experiences and embracing renewal.

My metal sculptures are symbolic of Ghanaian Sankofa which in the Twi language means "to retrieve" or literally "go back and get it" referencing a return to ancestral values. The Sankofa-lized Phoenix bird also references the Bono Adinkra symbol of a stylized bird with its face turning back, as well as the mythical phoenix bird rising from the ashes underscoring the importance of learning from ancestral experiences and embracing renewal. Through the fusion of rusty metal scraps and new metals, I aim to inspire the current generation to integrate ancestral values into their lives, echoing the Ghanaian proverb "Sankofa," which urges us to learn from the past. Among this charged up body of work is the cowrie shell. Historically the cowrie was used to represent human worth (6,370 cowrie shells was the price for an adult slave) and in my artistic endeavors these shells seek to amplify the significance of human values.

In summary, I deem it essential to reconnect with nature and timeless values that have sustained us for centuries amidst modern complexities.

Exhibition Dates: March 18–March 28, 2024
Opening Reception: Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Image: “For a better future, we must go back”, Welded New & Rusty Steel Pipes, 36"x48", Image by: Godshand Owusu-Appiah