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Following in excess of 50 editions exploring the global Black diaspora, this marks a final dispatch. The experience has been incredibly gratifying, and immense appreciation offered to all the engaged followers.

Exploring the Cultural Week

Attending the exhibitions, presentations and acts of this event, observers witness how exceptional art sustains and shapes a country’s past and character. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which put his pioneering afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that converts plastic containers into captivating creations, tapestries of golden hues. The show was designed as a homage to the strength of the historic district, a venerable quarter of Accra.

This area – largely populated by the Ga ethnic group, a fishing community – is additionally where a great number of formerly enslaved people arrived from Brazil and established themselves in the 1830s. Referred to as the Tabom, they carried with them Portuguese language and culture.

All across Jamestown, visitors encounter a mix of architectural styles. You'll find Fort Vicentia, featuring its distinct Portuguese construction and door arches. One can also see the iconic beacon, erected in the 1871 and later given its distinctive banded appearance.

A Culture of Celebration

Furthermore striking about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of funeral posters. Everywhere you turn, be it affixed to buildings or on sizable billboards, there are service information and terms of farewell. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, funerals are large-scale communal events.

In Clottey’s breathtaking show, all of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are present – notably in the enveloping beach-themed installation. In this space, you’re soothed by the audio of crashing waves with beach material on the floor, while shelters, hanging fishing nets and representations of vessels pay homage to its dynamic, multigenerational seafaring tradition. But being present in this gallery, it's hard to ignore the heaps of cast-off garments that mar the aesthetics and peace of the area.

Beyond the Centrepiece

The festival program included much more. Inside an incomplete building at the University of Ghana, artist Reginald Sylvester II presented On the Other Side of Languish, an emotionally powerful, stripped-back exhibition that included sculptures and artworks created in concert with welders.

Another key element is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It included the debut presentation of a prior recipient, whose work draws on familial archival records to produce a visual impression of life in Ghana after independence. The event also honored a latest champion, whose varied work is particularly invested in the textile traditions of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Impact

Although the global African community has increasingly been attracted back to the region during the western winter, a growing cohort are considering visiting earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the area's cultural season. Between this festival and other major events, what you’ll find are art scenes that are not simply emerging or “upcoming” but have established an whole landscape that is permanent.

Ultimately, the journey offers a vision of Accra that resembles a statement for environmental protection and the safeguarding of culture. It is a powerful homage to resilience in all its forms.