By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Paintings that recall 19^th Century expeditions by Europeans on the African continent by UK based Ghanaian painter Godfried Donkor is currently underway at the Galleria Mall, Kempinski Hotel in Accra.

Titled “The First Day of the Yam Custom 1818”, the paintings, which are based on an image by the British adventurer, author and zoologist Thomas Edward Bowdich, explore and expose the contractions that surround such images that were circulated largely in Europe.

The Yam custom, which is without doubt, an important event in the Asante calendar, marks the first harvest of yams and equally involves various forms of tributes to the King, who is usually adorned in gold and surrounded by dozens of paramount chiefs, chiefs and subjects.

Indeed, the festival has both religious and economic significance – religiously, the festival is used to thank the Asante gods and ancestors for the new harvest and to traditionally outdoor the new yam while celebrating a bumper harvest that will ensure food security and economic growth.

In a large-scale work, Donkor vividly depicts the late King Osei Bonsu (1804 – 1824) in the midst of a procession. The items he wears have been chosen to symbolize his fearless leadership and to indicate his role as the guardian of his people alongside flags that represent European countries that trade with the Asante Kingdom.

Built upon a process of mural painting and transported by the energy of applied social utopia, the repainting of Bowdich’s original illustration unfolds within the collective subconscious of belonging to the vast and thick layers of blackness.

With the revival of this work, Donkor draws parallels between analogies of the past and the present. From this perspective, contexts, events and practices are free for transfer and reinterpretation.

Affected, concerned and subjected to the abundant manifestations of white power, the artist’s work challenges the global mainstream’s embrace of notions of transformation and progress, while humorously poking fun at the status quo – whose only transformative and open-minded nature lies in a change of packaging.

In repainting Bowdich’s foundational drawing, Donkor combines historical and sociological accounts with a contemporary artistic understanding of a work, which triggered British appetite for Ghana, and paved the way for the scramble for gold.

The exhibition, which is being curated by Koyo Kouoh ends on Monday October 30 2017.

By John Owoo

(In Berlin – Germany)

A three-week training programme designed for young musicians, promoters, music journalists, publishers and public relations practitioners is currently underway in the German capital Berlin.

Dubbed “Buzz Meets Biz”, twelve Ghanaians are part of the group, which comprise participants from Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. They will equally participate in two other workshops on “Business Development” in Spain and “Creation of Music” in Ghana.

The Berlin workshop is offering insights into music business – how to create revenues, deal with licensing and copyright issues, set up a distribution network and navigate the live music sector while gaining a deeper understanding of Germany’s music markets.

Organized by Andrea Goetzke, topics being discussed include “Introduction to Music Business”, “Music Scene in Berlin”, “Music in Film and Television”, “Music and Brands”, “Artist Management”, “Distribution and Labels” and “Touring / Business of Music from African Countries in Europe”.

Others are “International Tour Booking”, “Music Publishing”, “Music Law”, Copyright Online”, “The Role of New Technologies in the Music Business”, “Do-It-Together Strategies”, “Movement of Sounds” and “Techno / House Culture in Berlin”.

“The workshops have been insightful and highly educative – undeniably it makes me question the music industry in Ghana. I have realized I do have a lot to learn since I have plans to take my music to the world scene”, said Alex Wondergem, a musician from Ghana.

“Buzz Meets Biz” is a rewarding experience. I come from a contemporary background of music, which has a specific market. Nevertheless, I have been able to expand my knowledge while experiencing the fantastic music scene of Berlin”, added Jose Luis Fraga Carneiro”, a musician from Spain.

Among the high profile speakers / moderators are Dr. Jan Michael Kün (Academic / DJ), Prof. Dr. Hanno Fierday (Entertainment Lawyer), Dr. Till Kreutzer (Copyright Expert), Daniela Seitz (Writer /DJ), Melissa Perales (Festival Director / Promoter), Karolin Kretzschmar (Artist / Songwriter), Amir Abdullah (DJ / Label Owner) and Andy Inglis (Booking / Management Expert).

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and Goethe-Institut Ghana, “Buzz Meets Biz” is being organized by Music Pool Berlin, iRights, Fundacion Sgae, Cooperación Española, Africori, Goethe-Institut and the Alliance Française Accra.

By John Owoo

In Accra – Ghana)

The National Dance Company of Ghana together with guest artists recently charmed dance lovers in Accra with “Alkebulan’s Awakening”, a dance drama that is full of contrasts – old and new, soft and hard, pretty and ugly, slow and fast.

Performing at the National Theatre in Accra, the dancers moved in and out of stage with one action smoothly joining the next while a heroin undergoes challenging rites in search of her children dispersed throughout the African diaspora.

Co choreographed by Stephany Yamoah (Ghana) / Colette Marie Eloi (USA) and directed by Nii Tete Yartey, the piece is about the forces that seek to possess her as she goes on a formidable mission that requires the use of an innate power to save her children.

Alongside a brilliant rendition of compositions of Isaac Annoh by the National Symphony Orchestra and play by Mawuli Semevor, the performers exhibited a fluid energetic mix of traditional movements alongside a significant amount of creative ones.

“The piece accurately depicts the emotions invoked by the music – It is subdued, gloomy and interspersed with movements that are not technically challenging. Nevertheless, the production draws from this simplicity to create a focused atmosphere”, said Charlotte Smith, a dancer from the United Kingdom.

“Alkebulan’s Awakening” is a philosophical process, which gracefully and elegantly narrates a story of massive significance. Indeed, it’s good to see a Ghanaian audience rising to cheer two female choreographers”, added Yaa Manu, a lawyer in Accra.

With an amazing show of vigor and flexibility by the artists, this inspiring piece equally illustrates the talent of Yamoah and Eloi in effectively fusing and translating seemingly diverse forms into highly expressive movements characterized by energy and a true sense of purpose.

Clad in different colourful costumes with a huge stylized tree as props, the artists emphasized strength and power as they moved slowly, crisply whilst the heroine spark’s controversy leading to battles as she engages in deft maneuvers to locate and rescue her children.

The National Theatre of Ghana and Global African Total Theatre presented the performance in collaboration with Elwah Movement Dance Theatre. Zulumande, Sankofa, African American Association of Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture supported the production.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

 Extraordinary voices from two female musicians Nana Yaa and Cina Soul over the weekend delighted a cheering audience during a magnetic performance at the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

Performing at a colourful event that marked the 60^th anniversary of the relationship between Ghana and Germany, Yaa, who had problems with her voice owing to tight rehearsal schedules, managed to rock the audience with poise, flair and a majestic stagecraft.

Accompanied by a cool blend of traditional Ghanaian rhythms with diverse music genres, Yaa took to the stage like a hurricane and simply affected every single member of the audience as she run around singing, dancing and cajoling the audience onto their feet.

With her hands up in the air – she seemed to be absorbing energy from the universe – as she unleashed the power trapped within her body by delivering a performance that was simply magical, intense and compelling.

Backed by the Deep Wave Band, Yaa managed to get most of the members of the audience to the dance floor as she engaged the audience with hilarious anecdotes and virtually inviting some of them for dance duets.

“Nana Yaa is a talented musician with a gift for performance – she is without doubt one of the new generation of musicians who will help sustain Ghana’s presence on the world music scene”, said Kokou Mensah, a Togolese music critic in Accra.

Earlier, Cina Soul, who is noted for her unadulterated vocal power, dazzled the crowd with layering songs alongside beats, loops and rhythms that kept the audience at the edge of their seats. With wild rhythms flowing from the band, she calmly interspersed her singing with subtle dance movements.

With a penetrating mind and voice, storylines from Soul – which are delivered with high-pitched energy – are similarly captivating and quite therapeutic. Indeed, while in full swing, her songs seem to flow from the bottom of her heart.

A dynamic performer whose energy can transform a show into a joyful and unforgettable festivity, Soul has constantly been growing, learning and developing to the point where she’s on the verge of a breakthrough into a new realm of recognition.

German Embassy in Accra in collaboration with German companies and institutions in Ghana supported the performance.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

Africana Dance Ensemble last Saturday delighted dance lovers at the Alliance Française in Accra with a curious blend of creative and traditional dance pieces from Ghana and other African countries.

In an intense performance that marked the activities of MusicXchange Ghana (MXC), the group showcased a dramatic fusion of “Atsiagbekor”, “Fumefume”, “Yve”, “Akli” (Guinea), “Zulu Warrior Dances” (South Africa) with creative dances such as “Africa Must Unite” and “Korokoro”.

With a host of traditional African instruments, the ensemble delighted the audience with visual originality, technical brilliance and emotional potency as they moved in unison while recalling ancient ritualistic dances and songs.

Clad in colourful costumes, the group vividly brought into sharp focus, the beauty, richness, diversity and variety of traditional African culture as they delivered this well layered performance with style, grace and effortless ease.

“It’s always refreshing to see exceptional blending of dance and music from other cultures – it magnifies the fact that there is beauty in multiplicity while reminding mankind of the need to respect all cultures and traditions,” said Yaa Ampomah, a dancer in Accra.

Later in the evening, dondo virtuoso, Mohamed Alidu’s charmed the audience with a cool synthesis of elements of reggae, highlife and other styles that are fast paced and driven by strong percussion. Undeniably, Dagomba rhythms take centre stage and tend to grab the attention of the listener in sustained manner.

Performing with jazzy spontaneity through firmly intertwined arrangements of songs that have passionate content and logical meaning, the five piece band transported the audience into several directions of the world with a climax in the Northern regional capital of Tamale.

MXC is an international non-profit organization that supports positive change through the power of music and has successfully executed events in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi and Aflao.

In 2016, MXC released a compilation album of traditional Ghanaian music featuring a diverse selection of artists and cultural troupes from around the country. The album was sold through a crowd funding campaign aimed at raising funds to support various projects in music education, music therapy and music production in Ghana.

MXC has equally supported the following projects – drum and dance classes for students at the Akropong School for the Blind, Trinity Yard School and Berekuso Music Project as well as an audio engineering workshop at the Music Department, University of Ghana (Legon).

By John Owoo

(At large in James Town – Accra)

Ghanaian performance artist Va Bene Elikem Fiatsi and his German counterpart John Herman recently stunned patrons at the just ended Chale Wote Street Art Festival with a durational performance and living installation that explored human vulnerability, death and the will to survive.

Set in the now closed James Fort Prison, which ironically is a former colonial legacy, the two nude artists immersed themselves in mud and water that have been mixed in a huge wooden structure with animal bones scattered in strategic parts.

With their nude bodies entirely covered in mud, they crawl on their knees, hands and stomachs in well calculated movements as they search for everything and nothing while attempting to re-examine the human sense of incompleteness or otherwise.

Surrealistic scenarios emerge as they grab the bones in a vain search for some kind of metaphysical clarity while seeking for factors, circumstances and social constructs that solidify our identity as human beings.

They equally examine society, tribes, family, relatives, customs and traditions, political economy, political powers, gender roles, cultural and social beliefs, religions and climatic conditions as they freeze in various postures and maneuvers.

After two hours of non-stop performance in the prison grounds, the pair spotting bruises from falling, crawling and walking in mud and stones struggle onto the street amidst cheers and surprise from festival revelers as they paraded the streets hosting the festival.

The performance is equally an investigative commentary into how water, a veritable common denominator of our shared existence binds social ecology together in ways that nurture peaceful co-existence as well as deadly wars and conflicts that has characterized the world in contemporary times.

Chale Wote Street Art Festival 2017 attracted over 30 thousand local and international visitors including nine artists from various African countries, who were invited under the Moving Africa Project of the Goethe-Institut.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

A thought provoking dance piece that illuminates and addresses communal and categorized intricacies in Ghana last week charmed a cool audience at the Alliance Française in Accra with movements that seesawed between humour and empathy.

Titled “Dance Time”, the dancers managed to incorporate futuristic and innovative imagery while allowing freedom of artistic processes as well as spatial formations, which reflect troubled communities and marginalized groups to inundate the stage.

Choreographed by Felix Ofosu Dompreh, the dancers appear to be suffocating while sliding together alongside hand-to-hand combats, which denote inequalities and reliance instead of collaboration and partnership.

Undeniably, the language of the choreographer is easily spoken and quite streamlined – and it proudly presented itself through young talented dancers whose bodies have been crafted by an act they have so gracefully mastered.

“Unquestionably, Dompreh is one of the most promising new crop of choreographers who have emerged on the Ghanaian dance circuit – indeed, the future of contemporary dance in Ghana is definitely going to be interesting”, said Nii Tackie Commey, a dance enthusiast in Accra.

Set to live music from traditional Ghanaian instruments including xylophones, bells and calabash drums, the dancers move in unison with arms, hands and fingers in constant motion that culminates in complicated but highly expressive movements.

Alongside an effective integration of Afro-revolutionary representations that direct ones imaginations into a space of creative thought, the piece equally exhibits simple movements that are not technically challenging for the dancers.

Nevertheless, the piece draws from this simplicity to create a powerfully dark, focused atmosphere alongside energetic and graceful movements that are devoted to the theme, which reflects on the intricacies of the world.

Dancers from the Noyam African Dance Institute in Dodowa (near Accra), opened the evening with “Joobee”, a short piece choreographed by Akwei Addotey, which was characterized by subtle, vigorous and nimble movements.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

A one-woman theatre performance characterized by a satire within a satire last Friday captivated an enthusiastic audience during a brilliant performance at the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

Dubbed “It’s in the Blood” and performed by Germany based Ghanaian actress Gifty Wiafe, the piece virtually took the audience on a cool journey of issues facing contemporary Germany and Ghana as well as other parts of the world.

With a boundless power of words and jargons courtesy of a wonderful script by Petra Kindler, Wiafe’s prowess at storytelling was evident as she conjured humorous anecdotes on diverse issues ranging from religion, imported food, visa problems, migration, gender issues, snow, traffic offences, e-waste, culture shock, traditions and spirituality.

“It is a remarkably clever piece of comedy that reminds us of past experiences alongside issues that currently confront us. Undeniably, the performance while commenting on various issues equally managed to leave us with our own thoughts and imaginations”, said Yaw Annoh, a theatre director in Accra.

With stories honestly delivered without any form of embellishment, the piece is charismatic with personal stories alongside a chain of events that touch of the lives and experiences of most of the members of the audience.

The play does not meet all expectations, but that is what makes it impressive – it is actually thought provoking without being preachy while exposing uncomfortable truths about the world – a feat the director archives in an hour and a half.

Exiting from an extra-large “Ghana Must Go” bag at the beginning, Wiafe exhibited amazing skill and dexterity as she played calabash / talking drums, sang local folk songs while showcasing her prowess with traditional Ghanaian dances – a scenario that regularly interspersed her narrative.

With a simple scenography comprising printed photos of fabrics and paintings on wood panels by Henry Nyadiah, the young actress infused the show with a string of terrific jokes and comic routines of her own, which attracted constant cheers from the mixed audience.

“It’s in the Blood”, was directed by Barbara Kemmler and choreographed by Frank Sam with Henry Nyadiah as lighting / sound engineer. It was presented and supported by Cactus Junges Theatre (Germany), Goethe-Institut Ghana and Sisimbom Theatre Group in Accra.

By John Owoo

(At the Museum of Science & Technology)

“Orderly Disorderly” – A three-month long exhibition that completes a trilogy of large-scale end of academic year exhibitions terminated last week at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra.

Organized by blaxTARLINES KUMASI, a contemporary art incubator project at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST – Kumasi), it features works by fresh graduates, alumni and guests – both dead and alive.

It combines political attitudes and principles underlying Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami’s practice – notably “The Bread and the Alley” (1970), “Orderly or Disorderly” (1981) and “The Chorus” (1982) as well as the Ghanaian academic Dr. karïkachä seid’ou’s emancipatory art pedagogy.

Undeniably, dozens of artworks that have inundated three floors of the Museum investigate how pre independence practices has expanded and evolved in recent years while boldly showcasing the new spirit of the College of Art and Sculpture, KNUST.

“Orderly Disorderly” is certainly not about aesthetics or artistic techniques – it is a serious comment on diverse issues ranging from political, social, religious, security and cultural crises that has bedeviled the world at large.

The exhibition is far from elitist – indeed, it has opened its doors not only to art lovers but also the general public at large with students and lecturers regularly at hand to guide visitors while providing information.

It features some of the first generation of Ghana’s post-independence artists, who were given the challenge of linking the emerging economy of Ghana to its rich and glorious traditions with contemporary issues.

Tucked on a wall behind an installation, one cannot fail to notice two paintings by the acclaimed modernist Prof. Ablade Glover (whose is being honoured with the exhibition), with thick layered crowds that tend to glow from a distance while skillful brush strokes accumulate mass in radiant lights and shade.

Paintings of nude and semi nude women by veteran painter Kofi Dawson show influences from his time at the Slade School of Art (UK) while reminding viewers of Ghanaian art in the 1960s. His works generally show him as a remarkable designer with a flamboyant post-impressionist aesthetic.

Giant sculpture pieces by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts (KNUST), Dr. Edwin Bojawah are crafted from discarded lithographic plates and aluminum roofing sheets which he assembles through techniques from multi layered processes embedded in African mask systems.

Two-sided fabrics by Dorothy Amenuke comprise cotton, jute fibre and raw cotton fillings that hang loosely in the giant hall. On close observation, blown up sections of the material become visible, while making subtle allusions to tools in her studio.

Comprising tree branches, clay, square wire meshes, nails and binding wires, an intense installation by Esther Anokye, inspired by children’s uninhibited drawings inundate the first floor and is quick to catch the attention of the visitor.

Livingstone Amoako reminds us of the sharp depletion of forest reserves in the country by stitching snail shells on columns and floor of the museum. The piece is nostalgic as it recalls how snails abound during the rainy season in his village as a young boy.

Va Bene Elikem Fiatsi (aka CrazinisT artisT), who is noted for his nude performances, continues his focus on conditions of feebleness and susceptibility of marginalized people with a recapitulation of his “nazaKU” photographic installation and performance, which among others call corrupt systems in the world to order.

Grotesque installations of severed cattle horns – which are strung together, dry and fast decaying – comment on the excruciating journeys faced by cattle when transported from Northern Ghana as well as brutal forms of slaughtering, a practice, which is widespread in the country.

Silas Mensah imitates layouts and designs of urban present-day residences by painting fabrics with manganese dioxide obtained from discarded alkaline batteries and diverse clays while sticking them with cassava starch and gum binder, which hung loosely on one of the walls of the museum.

The fight against galamsey (illegal mining) and its attendant health issues is taken on by Praises Adu Benhene, who showcased decommissioned costumes of galamsey miners, which have been preserved in their natural state with accumulation of dirt, oils, sweat, dust, fungi among others.

Larry Akuma invites us to childhood enchantments and fantasies with an interpretation of Akan mythical characters including the famous / infamous Kweku Ananse, which was realized in clay, iron rods and chicken wires. He allows grasses and weeds to germinate from cracks and boxes nearby while folk music engulfs the area around the piece.

Large-scale installations from non-descript discarded processed food cans by Kwame Asante Agyare turn into a huge “water fall” as it dangles from the roof of the museum. The piece, which is found elsewhere in the museum, criticizes the excesses of consumerism.

Undeniably, “Orderly Disorderly”, which took the city of Accra by storm for three months has Dr. karïkachä seid’ou, Kweku Boafo Kissiedu and Goerge Ampratwum as artistic directors with Bernard Akoi Jackson, Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh, Mavis Tetteh-Ocloo, Selorm Kudjie and Patrick Nii Okanta Ankrah as curators.

Friends of balxTARLINES and the Department of Painting and Sculpture at KNUST sponsored the exhibition.