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Following more than fifty installments exploring the global Black diaspora, this signifies a last column. The journey has been profoundly rewarding, and great appreciation extended to every one of the dedicated followers.

Exploring Accra Cultural Week

Experiencing the exhibitions, presentations and shows of Accra Cultural Week, it becomes clear how superior art feeds and builds a nation's heritage and essence. The focal point was without doubt the artist's stunning a profound exploration of ritual and time, which showcased his pioneering afrogallonism on full display: a concept that transforms yellow jerrycans into captivating creations, assemblages of golden hues. The show was conceived as a homage to the resilience of Jamestown, a historic area of Accra.

This area – largely populated by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is additionally where numerous freed slaves came back from Brazil and made their home in the 1830s. Referred to as the Tabom community, they introduced Portuguese language and culture.

In every part of Jamestown, you can see a blend of architecture. There’s Franklin House, boasting its characteristic Portuguese masonry and curved entrances. Another landmark is the famous lighthouse of Jamestown, erected in the 19th century and subsequently sporting its distinctive red-and-white-striped facade.

A Culture of Remembrance

Also striking about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. On every corner, be it affixed to walls or on sizable hoardings, there are announcements and expressions of farewell. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, funerals are significant social gatherings.

In Clottey’s breathtaking installation, all of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are captured – particularly in the enveloping shoreline piece. Here, visitors are calmed by the sound of crashing waves with sand at your feet, while shacks, nets and images of canoes pay homage to its spirited, generational seafaring tradition. Yet standing in this venue, it's hard to ignore the mountains of textile waste that threaten the aesthetics and serenity of the area.

Apart from the Main Event

There is a great deal more. Inside an incomplete building at the University of Ghana, artist Sylvester exhibited a deeply moving minimalist collection, an incredibly moving, austere show that featured sculptures and paintings produced in partnership with metalworkers.

Also featured was the prestigious art award for Ghanaian women creators. It included the inaugural exhibition of a recent laureate, whose work utilizes personal family archives to produce a depiction of life in Ghana after independence. The event also announced a current winner, whose varied work is deeply invested in the textile traditions of women in Dabala.

A Permanent Presence

While the global African community has increasingly been pulled home to west Africa in the winter months, more and more are contemplating travelling for the cultural season to immerse themselves in the area's festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and regional art fairs, what you’ll find are art scenes that are not simply nascent or “upcoming” but have established an entire landscape that is here to stay.

In the end, the experience leaves one with a vision of Accra that serves as a statement for ecological stewardship and the safeguarding of tradition. It is a compelling testament to perseverance in all its forms.