A Homage to Resilience: Lessons to Glean from the Brilliance of Accra's Cultural Festival.

In the wake of over fifty installments navigating the worldwide Black diaspora, this represents a last dispatch. The experience has been incredibly fulfilling, with sincere appreciation offered to every one of the attentive audience.

Inside the Accra Festival

Experiencing the exhibitions, artworks and acts of this event, observers witness how the finest art sustains and shapes a nation's history and character. The focal point was undoubtedly the artist's stunning [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which showcased his innovative afrogallonism in full view: a concept that converts yellow jerrycans into illusory art pieces, assemblages of metallic tones. The exhibition was conceived as a testament to the resilience of this area, a historical area of Accra.

Jamestown – largely home to the Ga people, a fishing community – is also where a great number of freed slaves arrived from South America and established themselves in the 1830s. Referred to as the Tabom, they carried with them Brazilian tongue and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, one observes a fusion of architecture. You'll find Franklin House, with its unique colonial-era brickwork and door arches. Also present is the prominent beacon, built in the 1871 and eventually featuring its recognizable banded facade.

A Culture of Mourning

Equally striking about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of funeral posters. Everywhere you turn, whether covering buildings or on big signboards, you’ll see announcements and expressions of farewell. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, funerals are large-scale community celebrations.

In Clottey’s breathtaking exhibition, every aspect of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are evoked – especially in the engaging beach-themed work. Within it, you’re soothed by the sound of ocean surf with granules underfoot, while shacks, draped nets and depictions of boats pay homage to its spirited, generational maritime community. But experiencing this gallery, the mind turns to the heaps of discarded clothing that threaten the charm and tranquillity of the region.

Apart from the Main Event

There is much more. Housed in an raw space at the University of Ghana, creator Reginald Sylvester II exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an emotionally powerful, austere exhibition that featured three-dimensional works and artworks created in concert with artisans.

Another key element is the competition for female artists for women artists of Ghanaian origin. It showcased the debut presentation of a prior laureate, whose work utilizes historical documents to craft a depiction of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a current champion, whose diverse work is particularly focused on the craft techniques of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Legacy

Although the overseas community has increasingly been drawn home to Ghana in the western winter, more and more are thinking about travelling some months earlier to experience the region’s cultural season. Between this festival and regional art fairs, what is evident are cultural ecosystems that are not simply emerging or “upcoming” but have built up an entire universe that is here to stay.

Ultimately, the visit leaves one with a image of Accra that feels like a manifesto for conservation and the preservation of culture. It is a compelling homage to perseverance in all its expressions.