By Albert Allotey
Accra, March 9, GNA – An exhibition of paintings and wearable art displaying the works of Akwele Suma Glory and Adwowa Ammah-Tagoe, both members of the Women Arts Institute Africa (WAiA) has been opened in Accra.
The exhibition, which would end on March 16, 2023, is on the theme: “Forward to the Past,” and was jointly opened by Professor Esi Sutherland Addy, an Educationist and a writer and Dr Selasi Sosu, a Lecturer at the University of Education and a member of the WAiA.
Prof Esi Addy speaking on theme, said the past was the summary of the lives that had lived, the lessons learnt, and the progress made and called on Africans to refrain from disregarding the past so that they could build on what had been done.
She said: “Other cultures put value on what had been built thousands of years ago. The people engage with their monuments, creative works, and institutions, integrating them into their lives.”
Prof Esi Addy expressed happiness that the art works were contributing to the heritage of the African, saying; “that is important for the African to be interested in acquiring and preserving its creative products.”
On her part Dr Sosu said the exhibition would encourage her and other artists to continue practising despite the many challenges like cost of materials, labour, equipment among other things.
“I am motivated as an artist and hope that the exhibition opens new doors for more showcase of women’s creative works,” she stated.
Mrs Mawusi Nudekor Awitty, an avid bead collector called on Ghanaians to invest in women’s work by buying their products to help keep artists employed and urged ministries, departments, and agencies to display works of arts created by Ghanaians.
In the exhibition, forward to the Past, the artists employ the technique of freestyle creation to capture the symbols of connections that lead them forward to the past.
Asserting that the present does not exist, but it is a mere bridge between the past and the future, which are the only cardinal poles of existence.
Akwele and Adwowa’s work explores the ability of cultural traditions to re-invent itself in the face of change and challenges to preserve its relevance.
The two artists found inspiration and passion by connecting to the past to boost their energy to move forward.
GNA