The Art Narrative: Exploring Art from the Ghanaian Perspective

The stereotypes, journey and legacy.

Image Courtesy: The author

As an art enthusiast living in Ghana, my career path and decisions have been questioned one too many times. “Oh, you look like a doctor”. “You should consider a science-based programme” or my favourite question of them all “Why arts?” 99.9% of the time, I am compelled to give a cheeky response. However, after further deliberation, my answer remains one and concrete throughout and is very simple - because I have a passion for arts, period.

The Ghanaian community recently started honouring creatives but the journey has not been easy. I remember very vividly my science teacher back in junior high school, calling me aside to discuss my programme of choice at the secondary level. I made him aware that it was my dream to pursue Visual Arts and his reaction was one filled with detest. He told me that I should consider General Science because I was a good student and Arts wouldn’t bring out my true qualities. I stood my ground on pursuing Visual Arts, thanked him for the conversation and left more fueled and motivated to prove a point; to him, myself and the world.

The general perception of people who pursue arts in Ghana is that they are not good academically or that, they are a bunch of unserious people who are lost in life. I can assure you that more people pursue other programs because they are probably indecisive, influenced by their parents or other older people, or because they are in it for money, fame, and prestige. The Ghanaian society has been brainwashed with the mentality that white-collar jobs are the highest priority and other blue-collar or creative jobs are not of great importance. To function fluidly as a society, there has to be an appreciation for all professions that can work hand-in-hand to spearhead the economy to do better.

From my experiences as an artist, I have grown to become more expressive, intuitive, and grounded. I grew up very introverted and used arts as my outlet for self-expression which has now become a key embodiment of me. I will sketch away my feelings or use colour to express my opinions. It developed a sense of humanity within me and gave me a purpose to live and keep going. Thus, it is no surprise I have strong sentiments towards arts.

There is a context in art known as the “3 H’s in Art” which stands for Head, Hand, and Heart. These are the fundamentals that describe the creative process of artists. Head signifies the artist’s intellect which talks about the concept, history, and motive behind an artwork. This stimulates the artist’s cognitive responses and gives you a deeper understanding of why the artist creates and the purpose of their creation. Hand signifies the manual dexterity of the artist and it is expressed in the artist’s choice of materials, tools, techniques, precision, and fluidity. Heart shows the zeal and passion of the artist and stimulates an emotional connection to the artist’s creation.

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol

These 3 H’s in Art defines how art affects the creator and gives one a better appreciation for the works of artists. It’s a shame that most people are poorly educated on the benefits of creative expression and its ability to shape one’s emotions and mode of thinking as well as the dynamics of society. In the older societies, arts were the foundation of their systems, beliefs, culture and civilisation.

The Sumerians were one of the oldest civilizations created. Located in then Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, they used art to create inventions and innovations such as the cuneiform, a clay tablet that contained symbols and hieroglyphics which signified the first ever documentation of letters or words. They also created ziggurats; pyramids similar to those in ancient Egypt and the Indus Valley. These monuments were created as temples to worship their gods. They also developed structured residential areas and irrigation systems to boost their agriculture since they were typically farmers due to their location near the Euphrates river. They were skillful in pottery, woven fabrics and jewellery. They also studied astrology and were good mathematicians. With a combination of art, astrology, and mathematics, they developed the first sundial known to mankind to tell the time during the day.

During the Renaissance period, there was a surge in artists, engineers, architects, mathematicians and scientists. After coming out of the Black Death that dominated the latter part of the medieval times, people were thirsty for reformation and change. This caused an eruption of the likes of Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Raphael. These artists made works that influenced architecture, human anatomy, politics, and religion in Italy. It was a stepping stone to the Age of Enlightenment that also triggered machine and invention development. During this period, there was a steady collaboration with experts from other fields, transforming Italy into what it is today.

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.” - John F. Kennedy

So, what is the basis of my argument? Art no matter how basic, intriguing, or absurd it is, plays a vital role in societies because it is functional aside from aesthetic value. Art is utilitarian; in terms of creating products that solve everyday problems. Art has deep cultural significance which informs individuals about the way of life of a people together with their traditions and beliefs. Art has socio-economic functions seen through trade and revenue creation, community development, and employment.

This goes beyond doubt to prove the role arts have in our societies. In the Ghanaian traditional communities, the influence of arts is prevalent in our customs and traditions. You can experience the rich display of arts in our festivals and traditional ceremonies such as the enstoolment of chiefs, naming ceremonies, funerals, and weddings. These are expressed through skillful craftsmanship in beadwork, jewellery, basketry, tie-dye and batik, woodwork, leatherwork and woven textiles among others.

Most of these craftsmen learn their skills through apprenticeship. They understudy a master and gradually pick up the skill set as time goes by. It is very typical to find families that have these skills passed on from old generations to the present. However, due to modernization and an urge to secure economic relevance, most of these crafts are not pursued by many because a lot more people are searching for other means of survival and generating income. I’ll pause here.

The visual landscape of arts in contemporary Ghana owes its accord to past artists who spearheaded this movement. The likes of Ablade Glover, Ato Delaquis, Betty Acquah, El Anatsui among others are veterans in the art setting in Ghana. These artists broke all odds to pursue their crafts on full scale and have become global sensations. We can call them the “Grandparents of Modern Art in Ghana.”

Now, Contemporary Ghanaian Arts boasts of numerous artists, young and old, turning the narrative around about how arts is perceived in our community. This has led to a rise in vast art galleries and institutions across the country such as Gallery 1957, Nubuke Foundation, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Ghana, BlaxTARLINES KUMASI and Dikan Centre. These initiatives were created to boost art engagement among Ghanaian locals and the artist. From my perspective, I find more Ghanaian creatives, Diasporans and foreigners engaging with these than the typical Ghanaian. To secure their engagement, there has to be a public sensitization of the importance of the crafts to the locals so they have a better understanding and appreciation of the arts.

“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” - Robert L. Peters

The future of Arts in Ghana is a promising one and I believe we are experiencing our Renaissance in our small way. With the rise in technology and social media, a lot more creatives display and share their works to a larger audience which causes traction and interaction with their works. Young creatives now have various role models to look up to to draw inspiration from. Though the stereotypical perception of arts hasn’t changed in the older generations, the younger generations embody it better and it can be seen in their self-expression.

The best way to highlight art in the Ghanaian setting is to stimulate more collaborations with other fields and provide a conducive socio-economic environment which will create more jobs and national engagement. I, on the other hand, will continue pursuing my craft either way and join the young Ghanaian creatives defying all odds to sustain the creative field in Ghana.