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General News of Friday, 20
September 2002 |
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Kumasi Street Paintings Invade Llandudno, Wales The
town of Llandudno in Wales is currently playing host to a paintings
exhibition depicting the works of streets painters in
Kumasi.
The exhibition is being hosted from September 14 to
October 19,2002 by Oriel Mostyn Gallery, a leading gallery for
contemporary arts with the support of the Visiting Arts and Wales
Arts international.
Dubbed ‘Kumasi Junction’, the exhibition
explores the contemporary genres of Ghanaian painters. It features
the work of a leading Ghanaian painter, Atta Kwami, a lecturer of
the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology and eleven art and sign street painters based in
Kumasi.
They include collections by Kwame Akoto of Almighty
God Arts Works, Alex Amofa of Supreme Arts Works, Isaac Otchere Azey
of Azey Alberto Art and Sign, Kwesi Addai of City Boys Art Works and
Barbington Boakye of Excellent Arts Works.
Some of the
paintings which caught the attention of viewers included ‘No Room
for Terrorists’, ‘Don’t Mind Your Wife’: A wise Man’s Eye is in his
head’: A view of the Anglican cathedral from Asafo: Romas of the
Decadence: Food Chain and exotic works on canvass bordering on
different themes
Mr Isaac Osei, Ghana’s High Commissioner in
the UK was the guest of honour at the opening session of the
exhibition described by influential personalities in the arts world
as “an excellent example of cultural experience between Ghana and
Wales”.
Mr Osei commended Oriel Mostyn Gallery for organising
the exhibition which, he said, would inspire Ghanaian painters to
improve upon their output.
He said Ghanaian Art painters have
enormous contributions to make towards the development of the sector
and urged up and coming painters to improve upon what they have
learnt from their peers in the field.
Mr Osei said Ghana’s
democratic dispensation, based on the freedom of the individual
“enables the artist to explore all kinds of themes” and added that
“there is a real opportunity for the exchange of ideas between
artists and painters of Kumasi and the University trained
painters”.
Commenting on the exhibition, Mr Atta Kwame
described it as very “encouraging and a re-awakening call to all
Ghanaian artists to forge ahead in their endeavours with pride and
confidence”.
To assist in the development of the sectors, Mr
Kwami appealed to the Ministry of Education to include painting in
school curriculum right from the primary school level.
The
exhibition is of particular interest to the Welsh audience.
According to Mr Martin Barlow, Director of the Oriel Mostyn Gallery,
“recent researches into 18th and 19th century artisan painting in
Wales revealed a rich visual culture based on vernacular styles
completely overlooked by conventional ideas of High
Art”.
“Whereas in Wales vernacular styles completely died out
and had to be rediscovered through historical research, in Ghana
street artists continue to flourish alongside those trained at
school”, he added.
Meanwhile, plans have been finalised for
the Exhibition to be displayed at The Lowry, Salford, Quays,
Manchester in spring 2003.
| Source: GHANA HIGH
COMMISSION, LONDON |
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