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In the wake of in excess of fifty issues delving into the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a final dispatch. The experience was incredibly rewarding, with immense thanks extended to all the dedicated readers.

Exploring the Accra Festival

Visiting the exhibitions, presentations and shows of this event, observers witness how superior art nourishes and builds a nation's past and identity. The focal point was undoubtedly Clottey's exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which displayed his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a concept that transforms water vessels into captivating creations, assemblages of golden hues. The display was designed as a testament to the endurance of Jamestown, a venerable area of Accra.

Jamestown – largely populated by the Ga people, a seafaring people – is furthermore where numerous freed slaves arrived from Brazil and established themselves in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom, they brought Brazilian tongue and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, one observes a blend of building designs. You'll find a historic building, with its distinct Portuguese brickwork and arched doorways. Also present is the famous lighthouse of Jamestown, built in the 1871 and eventually given its signature striped exterior.

A Culture of Remembrance

Furthermore notable about Jamestown is the ubiquitous sight of funeral posters. Wherever you look, whether covering buildings or on sizable hoardings, there are service information and phrases of loss. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, funerals are large-scale communal events.

In this breathtaking installation, the entirety of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are present – notably in the enveloping beach-themed installation. In this space, you’re soothed by the sound of crashing waves with sand on the floor, while shacks, hanging fishing nets and representations of canoes pay homage to its spirited, long-standing fishing community. However standing in this exhibition space, the mind turns to the heaps of cast-off garments that compromise the aesthetics and peace of the shoreline.

In Addition to the Centrepiece

The festival program included a great deal more. Inside an incomplete building at the local university, artist Reginald Sylvester II exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, austere exhibition that included three-dimensional works and paintings produced in partnership with artisans.

Also featured was the competition for female artists for female Ghanaian artists. It featured the inaugural exhibition of a prior laureate, whose work utilizes familial archival records to craft a artistic representation of life in the nation's recent history. The event also honored a latest champion, whose diverse work is intensely focused on the weaving practices of women in Dabala.

A Lasting Presence

While the overseas community has more and more been pulled back to the region during the colder season, an increasing number are thinking about travelling some months earlier to immerse themselves in the area's festival period. Between this festival and other major events, what emerges are art scenes that are not simply nascent or “upcoming” but have established an complete landscape that is enduring.

Finally, the experience offers a image of Accra that resembles a statement for environmental protection and the safeguarding of heritage. It is a powerful testament to adaptability in all its expressions.