Accra, Oct. 28, GNA – Two Ghanaian artists, Ezra Appiah and Reginald Boateng, are gaining international recognition as Absa L’Atelier Art marks its 40th anniversary, highlighting the growing visibility of Ghanaian creativity on the African art scene.
While Appiah is preparing to stage a solo exhibition in Accra exploring memory and family history through photographs, Boateng has been named a recipient of the 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award.
Appiah’s exhibition, titled Family Album: A New and a Reborn Version, will run from November 7 to 27, 2026, at The Mix Design Hub in Accra.
The exhibition follows his two-month residency at the Kromdraai Creativity and Impact Hub in South Africa, after he won the 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award.
A release shared with the Ghana News Agency said the exhibition drew on Appiah’s childhood memories and archival family photographs to explore how people remember and construct narratives about their families.
Through montage, the artist places past and present side by side, examining relationships and experiences often overlooked in traditional family albums.
Appiah, who was born in Sekondi-Takoradi and is based in Kumasi, completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) in Painting at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2022. He is also a member of the blaxTARLINES collective, and his works have been exhibited in Ghana and abroad.
“I saw a reflection of self, a reliving of personal experiences that I then translated to thoughts and showed through visuals. So I hope everyone sees what I see and that this work inspires them to do the same,” Appiah said.
Boateng, meanwhile, was among three recipients of the 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award announced on October 10 at the Absa L’Atelier Art and Lifestyle Fair at Waterfall City Park in South Africa.
His artistic practice draws inspiration from Ghanaian Kente colours and coastal life, while also addressing environmental concerns.
His work, Our Water Turns Red, exhibited at this year’s fair, used red water to depict the environmental destruction associated with illegal gold mining in Ghana.
As part of the award, Boateng received four months of mentorship with a leading visual arts practitioner, an international residency with the other two award recipients, masterclasses and a laptop.
He will also have the opportunity to stage a solo exhibition in 2028, with Absa contributing 6,000 dollars towards materials.
Dr Paul Bayliss, Absa’s Senior Art and Museum Curator, said Appiah’s exhibition demonstrated how sustained support could help artists develop their work and connect with audiences.
He said the two artists’ distinct perspectives reflected the strength of Ghanaian artistic talent and the importance of investing in opportunities for emerging African artists.
“Their stories deserve to be seen and heard,” he said.
Established in 1986 through a partnership between Absa and the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), Absa L’Atelier Art provides opportunities for professional development, exposure and career advancement through awards, residencies and exhibitions.
Award recipients benefit from mentorship, intensive masterclasses led by international experts and international residencies. Within two years of winning, they may also stage solo exhibitions, with up to 6,000 dollars available towards exhibition materials. Artists receive the majority of proceeds from artwork sales.
As part of its anniversary activities, Absa L’Atelier Art will host two masterclasses in Accra: a session for artists on November 5 at the Absa Ghana Regional Office and a session for art buyers on November 7 at The Mix Design Hub.
The sessions are intended to help emerging artists develop their careers and give collectors a better understanding of the art market.
GNA
Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage