PUBLICATIONS

Photographs as Research Archives: Migrations, Continuities and Discontinuities of Vodu Visual Culture and Performance Traditions

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Synopsis

Both analogue and digital archives of photographs stored in European Museums have long served as vital sources of information and data analyses for researchers studying the visual cultures of Africa. However, most of these archives largely remain dormant, underutilized and not easily accessible to African scholars pursuing similar research interests. This has been the case particularly for colonial.,Jb-era photographs shot through the lens of racist framings, colonial gaze and prevailing negative stereotypes of Africans that still lingers on especially in the visual documentation of contemporary Vodu traditions by Western scholars. Admittedly, without access to such archival documents, archaeological remains, museological displays, oral histories and old photographs, constructing a composite visual culture of Vodu dating to colonial West Africa and the diaspora is quite a daunting task. And yet, in spite of being able, as an African scholar, to access these available sources, there are still research gaps that scholars must fill to cover aspects of Vodu visual culture lost to history. These gaps could be attributed to centuries of colonization, distorted missionary proselytizing, anti-Vodu persecution, religious iconoclasm, slavery, forced migrations and outright banning of certain traditional performances/rituals related to Vodu. In more recent times religious conversions, “globalization”, cultural imperialism, the spread of Islam and radical Chrisitian evangelism still prove to be factors threatening the significance of preserving Vodu visual culture. Unresolved issues of enculturation, acculturation and religious syncretism influencing/transforming the visual culture within the Vodu fraternity itself, are equally areas of serious concern. Understanding the several gaps/new forms of visualizations subsumed within the layers/processes of “globalization” and various stages of trans-regional/intercontinental migrations of Vodu performance traditions in Benin, Togo and Ghana  is an area that deserves urgent scholarly attention. Research findings within this domain will reveal neglected details of how such migrations have gradually shaped the religious iconography of contemporary Vodu traditions, its documentation and display during ceremonies, festivals,  rituals, performances and museum cataloging. In this research, I propose to re-examine archival photos of Vodu visual culture in European Museums in comparison to my personal photo archives (of Anlo-Ewe Vodu), publications and on-going Vodu traditions in order to identify elements of continuities, discontinuities and symmetries. This will involve digging through photo archives, reviewing archival documents, scanning through inventories and museum databases to identify, study and analyze visual information related to Vodu visual culture in South Eastern Ghana, Togo and Benin.

Keywords: Photographs, Archive, Migration, Aesthetics, Continuity/Discontinuity, Vodu, Performance, Visual Culture, Museum

Fifteen Colonial Thefts: A Guide to Looted African Heritage in Museums Hardcover

Sela Kodjo Adjei and Yann LeGall

Blurb

Debates around restitution and decolonising museums continue to rage across the world. Artefacts, effigies and ancestral remains are finally being accurately contextualised and repatriated to their homelands. Fifteen Colonial Thefts amplifies and adds to these discussions, exploring the history of colonial violence in Africa through the prism of fifteen African belongings - all looted at the height of the imperial era and brought to European museums. The book is structured around three arenas―the battlefield, the royal palace, and the realm of the sacred―in which colonial officers violently plundered Africa. It explores the meaning of those cultural assets at the time of their appropriation, but also today, in an era of restitution. Each chapter is accompanied by an original illustration, commissioned especially for the book, from both established and emerging African artists, bringing these stories to life for the reader. With contributors from across the continents of Europe and Africa, including scientists, museum professionals, artists and activists, the book illuminates the collective trauma and loss of cultural, historical and spiritual knowledge that colonial theft engendered

From Embodiology® to Empowerment: Prof. S. Ama Wray's Impactful Initiatives in Kopeyia Bloomfield School

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Introduction

This essay explores the transformative journey of Prof. S. Ama Wray, a distinguished scholar and multidisciplinary artist with a profound impact on the fields of dance pedagogy, cultural philosophy, and community development. Prof. Wray's pioneering work in Embodiology® serves as the cornerstone of her innovative contributions to education, the arts, and technology. Beginning with a reconnection to her roots in Kopeyia, a town in the Volta region of Ghana, Prof. Wray's journey unfolds as a remarkable fusion of creativity, culture, and community engagement. Her partnership with local artists and knowledge holders in Kopeyia led her to the concept of Seselelame, a vibrant life-force embedded within Ewe performative traditions. Prof. Wray's doctoral research gave birth to Embodiology®, a practical strategy that enhances creative skills development by making inherent improvisation discernible to all. Beyond academia, Prof. Wray's impact extends to visionary initiatives like AI4Afrika, where she collaborates with a diverse group of professionals to leverage artificial intelligence for positive social change. Her commitment to community-driven projects is exemplified by her establishment of a computer lab at Kopeyia Bloomfield School. Here, she empowers young minds by blending technology with their endogenous knowledge, fostering creative disruption and innovative solutions. Through knowledge-sharing, Prof. Wray inspires individuals globally. Her recent trip to Kopeyia Bloomfield School symbolizes a defining moment, where students recognized their cultural impact on the world. Despite challenges, Prof. Wray's resilience and passion continue to leave indelible imprints on those she interacts with. Her journey stands as a testament to her extraordinary impact on dance, education, technology, and the lives of countless individuals worldwide. Prof. S. Ama Wray emerges as a visionary artist, educator, and change-maker, inspiring us all to embrace creativity, resilience, and community-driven change. This interview essay shares an illuminating path into her remarkable journey.

Larry Otoo: A Colourful Portrait of a ‘Contemporary Traditionalist’

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Introduction

Larry Otoo (b.1956) is regarded as one of Ghana’s blue-chip artists who has earned a venerable reputation among Ghana’s masters of contemporary art. He is well known for his iconic music-inspired paintings. Otoo has a unique passion for jazz music, a theme prolifically expressed in his works. He holds a Master’s Degree in African Art and Comparative Literature from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Despite the Western art education he received at the Painting and Sculpture Department in KNUST, we can still perceive the influence of Ghanaian culture and the enchanting childlike qualities he strongly adheres to in his paintings. Otoo refers to himself as a “Contemporary Traditionalist”, a neologic allusion to the varied sources of his aesthetic influences. He is renowned for his expressive use of vibrant colours, vigourous brushstrokes, complex compositions and non-realistic figures. His unique signature style has carved a special niche for him in the contemporary art world. After more than forty years of painting, Otoo proudly stands among the greatest artists to have emerged from post-Independence Ghana.

Forthcoming book chapter

“Comprehending the Incomprehensible”: Unveiling the Psychotherapy Behind Kofi Setordji's Creative Process

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Introduction

Kofi Setordji (b.1957) is a distinguished multidisciplinary artist currently based in Mampong, Ghana. He has mesmerized art enthusiasts around the world with his captivating sculpture and evocative paintings.  He began his art career as a self-taught artist specializing in commercial graphic art (mostly painting billboards and commercial posters). While studying and serving as an apprentice (between 1984-1988) with celebrated Ghanaian artist Saka Acquaye, Setordji discovered and honed his sculpting skills. Over the past four decades, he has greatly expanded his artistic practice and developed his repertoire of creative skillset to include weaving, architecture, furniture, photography, product design and creative entrepreneurship.  He co-founded and served as the artistic director of Nubuke foundation for over 10 years. His works explore complex human emotions and the densities of the human condition. This essay delves into the enigmatic world of Kofi Setordji’s artistic practice with a focus on his creative process and the complex social issues he explores.

Forthcoming book chapter

‘Basabasa’: An ‘Orderly’ Journey into the Multifaceted World of Ablade Glover's ‘Chaotic’ Paintings

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Introduction

As a renowned Ghanaian artist, Prof. Ablade Glover, has left an indelible mark on the world of contemporary African art through his vibrant and expressive paintings. With a prolific art career spanning over six decades, Glover's works capture the essence of everyday life in Ghana while reflecting his own unique artistic vision. This essay aims to explore the artistic brilliance and the diverse themes present in Glover's paintings, highlighting his contribution to the art world. Born in 1934 in Labadi, a suburb of Accra, Ghana, Glover's passion for art was nurtured and developed when he went to teacher training college and received formal training at the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Recognizing his passion and creative skills, Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah offered Glover a state scholarship through the high recommendations of Shirley Du Bois to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (1964-65) in the United Kingdom. The amalgamation of his Ghanaian roots and Western art education laid the foundation for his distinctive artistic style. Apart from being perceived as one of the Godfathers of Contemporary Art in Ghana, Glover has also firmly established his presence on the global art stage as a master painter. His paintings have been exhibited globally and have received international acclaim. His works can be found in prestigious collections, including the British Museum and the National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. Through his international recognition, Glover has helped elevate the visibility of African art on a global stage, challenging the prevailing narratives and stereotypes associated with African artistic expression.

Forthcoming book chapter

ZADOKELI. EFO SELA x MAWULI ADZEI x ELIKPLIM AKORLI

Editors: G. Edzordzi Agbozo; Niklas Wolf

Contributing Scholars: Asana Greenstreet; Matthew Francis Rarey; Elikplim Akorli; Damawa L. Jallah; Alan Dunyo Avorgbedor; kwabena agyare yeboah; Kate Wand; Nii Kotei Nikoi; Fidelia Ankomah

Abstract

The word “zadokeli” in Ewe, means “eclipse of the sun”. During the global pandemic in 2020, 6 eclipses occurred within the year including 4 lunar eclipses across the world, with one total and one annular solar eclipse in addition. The first eclipse of 2020 occurred between 10th and 11th January, foreshadowing a dark year ahead. In the Ewe worldview, an eclipse, whether solar or lunar, is of deep spiritual significance. Thus, in the event of an eclipse, traditional priests, priestesses and diviners seek answers and offer prayers. These holders of  esoteric knowledge engage with the divinities to ‘restore’ normal cosmic order through propitiation rites. Adjei’s role here is as an artist drawing links between the 2020 eclipse and the rise in anti-Black violence and injustice, and positions him among the far-seeing priests and diviners who seek answers in an effort to ‘restore’ both cosmic and social order. Thus, through his new collection of paintings, Sela Adjei visually expands the discussion of analogizing the Black predicament with a recurring image of a gloomy eclipse; Zadokeli is the same theme that animates Mawuli Adzei’s new poetry anthology bearing the same title. The book was edited by G. Edzordzi Agbozo, Ph.D. (University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA) and Niklas Wolf, M.A. (University of Zurich). The contributing scholars include: Asana Greenstreet, M.A. (Royal College of Art), Matthew Francis Rarey, Ph.D. (Oberlin, Ohio, USA), Elikplim Akorli, M.Phil, Damawa L. Jallah, Alan Dunyo Avorgbedor, Ph.D. (McGill University’s Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture), kwabena agyare yeboah (University of California, Santa Barbara), Kate Wand, MFA, Nii Kotei Nikoi, Ph.D. (College of Wooster, Ohio, U.S.A.), and Fidelia Ankomah, M.Phil  (University of Cape Coast, Ghana).their biographies, material components, and the indigenous knowledge systems framed around them in order to re-examine their current state in the Ubersee Museum depot. As a collaborative project between researchers and Vodu practitioners, the study also serves as an academic platform for engaging research partnerships between African and European scholars to exchange insights about some broader epistemological frameworks and methodological issues associated with researching the material aspects of African spirituality. Throughout the Museum tours, my camera served as a collaborative research tool for data collection and audio-visual documentation of the missionary collections for future research.

Keywords: Vodu, Eclipsw, Art, Ghana, Poetry, Exhibition, Painting, Ewe, Activism, Injustice, Violence, Police Brutality, Spiritual Knowledge

Legba, Dzoka and Indigenous Knowledge Systems:  Rethinking Missionary Collections and Vodu Epistemologies.

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This study investigates both the spiritual and material aspects of Ewe cultural assets in European Museums to establish societal reconciliation with the colonial past and its afterlives. In broadening the discussion on how materiality relates to spirituality, I will focus on the Legba-Dzoka project, a collaborative multidisciplinary research that specifically studies a missionary collection in the Ubersee Museum collected by Carl Spiess, a German Missionary stationed between Ghana and Togo during the late 19th century. The discussion will further develop and explore alternative research methods and different possibilities of analysis to generate new knowledge on Ewe material culture. The paper will unpack Bremen missionary collections from South-Eastern Ghana and the interconnected histories specifically associated with the Legbawo and Dzokawo (pl.), to deepen the understanding of their biographies, material components, and the indigenous knowledge systems framed around them in order to re-examine their current state in the Ubersee Museum depot. As a collaborative project between researchers and Vodu practitioners, the study also serves as an academic platform for engaging research partnerships between African and European scholars to exchange insights about some broader epistemological frameworks and methodological issues associated with researching the material aspects of African spirituality. Throughout the Museum tours, my camera served as a collaborative research tool for data collection and audio-visual documentation of the missionary collections for future research.

Keywords: Legba, Dzoka, Museum, Vodu, Culture, Epistemology, Art, Missionary Collections

Chieftaincy, Spirituality and Heritage Preservation: Visual Evidence of Vodu in Photographic Archives

Sela Kodjo Adjei and Rita Mawuena Bennissan 

Abstract 

In most indigenous societies in the southern part of Ghana, Vodu has mainly served as the political power base of jurisprudence, power succession, symbolic display of power and political authority. In this discussion, we will investigate how Chieftaincy has been photographed from 1800 to the present day using the Si Hene archives. Through a careful reexamination of these photographs, we will try to identify the visual references and symbolic evidence of how Vodu is captured and manifested in traditional politics in Ghana. How is our current perception and understanding of traditional political authority shaped by spiritual beliefs (eg. ancestral veneration, mythical souls of chiefs) and what material representations of Vodu can we glean from the visual remnants of colonial-era photographic archives? How are cultural relics, symbols and performative actions of Chieftaincy linked to Vodu? Audio-visual documentation of Chieftaincy, oral history, performance, heritage preservation and symbolic display of material culture will be the focus areas for discussion during this session. The presentation will also illustrate how the Chieftaincy Council has portrayed itself over the years and raises questions regarding how Ghanaian cultural bearers maintain sociocultural awareness about protecting their tradition, cultural values, ancestral ties, spiritual beliefs and political authority.

Keywords: Chieftaincy, Power, Material Culture, Vodu, Archives, Photographs, History, Documentation

Manuscript in progress

ABSTRACTION AND THE SUBLIME IN ART: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ‘MODERN ART’ AND EWE VODU AESTHETICS

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This paper examines the contributions of African art to the rise of global modernism in art. The concept of ‘modernism’ in art history remains inordinately attributed to Western male artists, and often ignores the creative contributions of African women in indigenous communities. These academic lapses highlight the need for more critical research, analysis, and documentation. The paper includes a photographic presentation that captures the creative practice of Ewe artists in South Eastern Ghana. These photographs are the outcome of a collaborative research process and serve as supporting visual ethnography for a discussion of several recurring issues and debates in African art scholarship.

This article was published in the Garage Journal, Issue 01 ‘Transitory Parerga: Access and Inclusion in Contemporary Art,’ edited by Vlad Strukov.

To cite this article: Adjei SK (2020) Abstraction and the sublime in art: Bridging the gap between ‘modern art’ and Ewe Vodu aesthetics.The Garage Journal: Studies in Art, Museums & Culture, 01: 162-187.

Spirituality Meets Psychotherapy: Exploring the Sociology of Death, Gender, Aesthetics and Therapeutic Practices Among Anlo-Ewe

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

In Anlo-Ewe Vodu religion, spirit mediumship is very necessary to negotiate with the spirits of traumatic death who return to afflict their living relatives. Spirit mediumship and spirit possession forms a major component of vodu religion through which an interplay of aesthetics and spirituality is highly essentialised. This interplay produces effective healing results comparable to art therapy and psychoanalytic healing practices in the West. The amegashie, a spirit medium, who serves as an intermediary between the living and the dead, employs various artforms as therapeutic tools for her dzogbeshiewo (pl. spiritually-afflicted victims). During the healing process of spirit mediumship, a series of performances, aesthetic practices and laws (mostly ordained by voduwo and trᴐ᷉wo) are strictly adhered to by both the amegashie and dzogbeshie (sing.) For instance, why would a spirit medium instruct a spiritually afflicted victim to smear white kaolin on his/her entire body throughout the healing process? Why would the amegashie invoke the spirit of a departed individual into a figurine—which must in turn be venerated and treated like a living entity by the dzogbeshie? Why would dzogbeshiewo swathe themselves in red and white fabric for several weeks throughout the healing process? What is the significance of colour psychology in vodu spirituality and healing practices? Why would a victim change his/her name and wear pure white fabric after he or she has completely been healed? These are some of the questions I will be addressing in this paper. Among the Anlo-Ewe, gender specificity is attached to spirit mediumship, usually with women being the key members, far outnumbering men. The seamless integration of art, aesthetics, healing and spirituality is an understudied area in vodu religious studies that will be discussed in this paper, based on data collected through participant observations, semi-structured interviews, deep engagement, photography and auto-ethnographic studies.

Keywords: Culture, Death, Spirit Medium, Gender, Aesthetics, Art, Vodu, Visual, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Witchcraft.

Forthcoming book chapter in African African Visual Cultures.

Boosting Economic Value in Ghana’s Film Industry: Rethinking Media Policy, Regulation and Copyright Law

Sela Kodjo Adjei[1], Oliva Anku-Tsede[2],  Eleonora Belfiore[3], Mohammed-Aminu Sanda[4]

Abstract   

This paper aims to rationalize the need for media/broadcasting policy implementation and copyright enforcement to address various challenges faced within Ghana’s film industry.  After Ghana transitioned to democratic rule in 1992, critics and media professionals advocated a national media policy. This advocacy subsequently resulted in agitation for media deregulation and loosening of grip on state-owned media organizations. The reinstatement of constitutional rule in 1992 paved the way for the state to lax its monopoly of the media within the democratic context of a free market economy. The National Media Commission proposed a media policy and broadcast bill which was presented to parliament but has still not been passed into law.  This legislative lapse partly contributed to the influx of unregulated foreign content. Accessible foreign media content subsequently promoted a system of unfair competition that radically undermined locally produced content, putting a generation of thriving film producers out of work.  Drawing on reflections from a series of structured interviews, focus group discussions and creative workshops, the findings of this study maintain that the various challenges confronting Ghanaian filmmakers is centred around inadequate funding opportunities, copyright violation and policy implementation issues.  Using the film industry structure and value chain analysis, the various challenges faced by the selected film producers were discussed and critically analyzed. A significant aspect of this study is the solution-driven approach adopted in outlining the practical recommendations that will boost the aesthetic, cultural and economic value of Ghanaian film productions. Based on the discussions and conclusions drawn with the various stakeholders within Ghana’s creative industries, the paper makes a strong case for firm state regulation, copyright enforcement and policy implementation to grow Ghana’s film industry.

Keywords: Film, Value, Copyright, Media, Policy, Culture, Regulation, Economy

 Forthcoming article under the ACIG Research Project funded by DANIDA

NKYINKYIM INSTALLATION AS ‘ALTERNATE HISTORY’: NEW FRONTIERS OF MUSEOLOGY IN GHANA AND BEYOND

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This paper’s main focus is on Kwame Akoto-Bamfo’s Nkyinkyim Installation, an evolving Museum that aims to reconstruct African history and preserve its cultural heritage for posterity. Currently focusing on generating social interactions on slavery and community revitalization, the art installation comprises over 3,500 sculptures spread across 3 continents (Africa, Europe and America). Nkyinkyim installation aims to use 11,111 sculptures to fill in the missing gaps in African history. Through his Ancestor Project initiative, Akoto-Bamfo developed an organizational team structure which enabled him to organize a solid team of contributing artists, engineers, researchers, curators, designers and volunteers to help realize his creative vision. With mass education being a core objective of Nkyinkyim Installation, researchers mainly employ historiographical methods and mixed-method approaches to art based research for data collection. Primary data collection is done through workshops, structured interviews, informal community engagements, focused group discussions and participatory activities by the volunteers, contributing artists and community groups. Secondary data is collected from university libraries, national archives, and online journals. The research findings generated from the analyzed data forms the cultural and historical basis to assist the artists, curators, researchers, architects, engineers and designers in reconstructing African historical narratives. Relying on anthropological procedures, archaeological tools, and the philosopher’s toolkit for critical thinking, data collected in the field undergoes triangulation, analysis and critical review. The ‘dissemination’ of research findings translates into sculptures, obelisks, architectural structures, art festivals, knowledge sharing workshops, and community development. This process of communal institution building and ‘(non)Knowledge’ production cycle effectively transforms art into historical narratives and vice versa—subverting hegemonic knowledge regimes. This paper argues that Nkyinkyim Installation serves as a site for open conversations, ‘(non)knowledge’ production, its presentation, dissemination and a historical archiving of social anthropology through artistic research and community-driven development of Nkyinkyim installation into a world class Museum.

Keywords: Museology, Sculpture, History, Exhibition, Curating, Education, Research

 Forthcoming article

Philosophy, Auto-ethnography and Artistic Research Methods: The Artist as a Contributor

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This paper aims at broadening the understanding of researchers about the power and infinite possible uses of visuals in auto-ethnographic studies and artistic research. In visual ethnographic methods, photographs serve as a basic truth-revealing mechanism that expands the mind and imagination of readers. The powerful potential of modern visual ethnographic methods in the qualitative study of visual culture is rapidly gaining the attention of scholars. Researchers from diverse fields have always explored photography as a qualitative research tool for documentation, particularly in anthropological scholarship. Photography still proves to be one of the most reliable methods to collect, store, analyse and process data for dissemination.Based on Dale’s Cone of Experience and Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, photographic data is more effective  in mentally processing and storing information than text alone.  But have researchers explored the full potential of photography as a key component in the study and understanding of African art and visual culture? Based on years of autoethnographic fieldwork, practice-based learning and artistic research methods, this paper will share my personal spiritual journey into the sacred Art of Ewe Vodu religion. Throughout the data collection process of this research, high resolution photography and ethnographic filming served as a collaborative research tool in documenting the lives of Ewe artists (women mostly) in Vodu shrines. Through photographs, I’m sharing my spiritual journey as an Ewe, an artist, a curator and researcher working and living among the Ewe People in the South Eastern part of Ghana.

Keywords: Autoethnography, Visual anthropology, Photography, Vodu, Religion, Fieldwork

Forthcoming article

Suɔmɔ Hi Fe Shika: Reconstructing Ghana’s Cinema Culture through Vintage Film Posters and Signboards

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Overview

Suɔmɔ Hi Fe Shika exhibition conjures the nostalgic childhood memories of cinema culture in Ghana. The exhibition was held at the Nubuke Foundation (6th March - 17th April, 2021). The exhibited works comprised of Dr. Oduro’s Frimpong’s private collection of archived hand-painted film posters by Ghanaian artists.  Dr. Frimpong’s private collection emphasizes the importance of collecting, documenting and archiving visual culture in contemporary times. Despite their “gaudy representations”, Ghanaian film posters just like the Films they advertise, have subverted established notions of film aesthetics, media, advertising, identity and popular culture. The hand-painted film posters reveal how a thriving visual culture crosses the boundary from being a cultural production to historical narratives. Suɔmɔ Hi Fe Shika serves as a time capsule that transports the current generation four decades into the past to project a glimpse of Ghana’s  film  industry and cinema culture. The new generation (millennials) of Ghanaians might not make a strong connection between Suɔmɔ Hi Fe Shika exhibition and their own childhood days as opposed to the older generation.  Prior to the digital age, traditional advertising mediums print, signage, hand-painted posters, radio ads and by-word-of-mouth campaigns were mainly employed in promoting and marketing creative content in rural communities. In Ghana, street artists played an instrumental role in the advertisement, marketing and exhibition of film in rural communities. The hand-painted film posters they produced drew the attention of the public and numbers in the cinema halls increased. Though the cinema culture that necessitated the production of these film posters has gradually died out, there’s been a renewed interest and surge in demand within international art collectors circles. In contemporary times, this once neglected art form is steadily gaining a new found audience not from Ghana alone, but the West. In partnership with Robert Kofi Ghartey, Brian Chankin co-founded the Deadly Prey Gallery to promote and support Ghanaian film poster artists from the 80’s era.  As a result, these film posters have attracted a worldwide audience. In 2019, works by 22 selected Ghanaian artists were exhibited in New York City’s Poster House titled: Baptized with Beefcake: The Golden Age of Hand-Painted Movie Posters from Ghana. The global demand for Hand-painted film posters from Ghana is creating a new found economic opportunity for Ghanaian artists who for decades experienced a decline in commissions due the advent of the digital age. The new found interest in Hand-painted film posters celebrates veteran street artists like Daniel Anum Jasper, Mark Anthony,  Heavy J, Salvation, Stoger, Leonardo, Farkira, C.A. Wisely, Magasco, and Nii Bi Ashitey. The ensuing discussion maps out the socio-historical trajectory of a popular cinematic visual culture. The discussion also allows film poster enthusiasts to have a deeper appreciation for Dr. Frimpong’s private collection and Ghana’s visual culture. The paper generally aims at expanding the discussion on Ghana’s visual culture while advocating for proper documentation and national archiving.

Debating Aesthetics and Identity Politics in Ghana’s Contemporary Art (r)evolution [with a small ‘r’]

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This chapter discusses some recent developments in Ghana’s contemporary art scene which have escaped the critical lens of African art scholars. The discussion is an exercise in reasoned methods of dialogue, logic and argumentation to arrive at pragmatic measures addressing various issues plaguing contemporary art practice in Ghana. The various issues on aesthetics, imposed creative narratives and the politics of identity were discussed through the exchange of ideas, logical analysis of concepts, trends and approaches to contemporary art practice in Ghana.  For instance, what does our art and collective creative expression reflect about our national orientation, cultural identity and public philosophy as a people? It has been a central issue of concern in this discourse to unravel what Dr Kwame Nkrumah meant by forging the African personality within Ghana’s cultural institutions. The data was collected through informal interviews and participant observation that included attending art exhibitions, art talks, art festivals, and seminars on contemporary art in Ghana. More data was generated by drawing on blog interviews, informal discussions, exhibition catalogues, social media commentaries and curatorial statements by curators documenting their creative practice in Ghana.  

Keywords: Art Criticism, Contemporary Art, Identity, Aesthetics, Inclusion, Philosophy, Curating, Sankofa, Revolution.

Forthcoming Book Chapter.
Visit: http://benbosahbooks.com

Philosophy of Art in Ewe Vodu Religion

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

This study examines Anlo-Ewe indigenous knowledge systems and the extent to which they inform and explain the scope and significance of the visual arts as employed in Vodu religion and spirituality. The thesis further explores the particular ways in which artistic expression and local aesthetic norms are articulated in everyday modes of being-in-the world in order to sustain arguments on the significant place of the visual arts in Anlo-Ewe Vodu religion and spirituality. One of the major premises and conclusions of this thesis is that religious and ritual contexts often constitute significant sites for discoursing and exhibiting artistic-aesthetic preferences—these sites have been largely underrepresented in studies on Ewe society, history and culture. A growing number of contemporary art historians recognize and attempt to explain the integration of indigenous worldview and spirituality as part of the larger sociocultural universe in which artistic-aesthetic expressions are encountered; this study builds significantly on this trend of scholarship in African art history. The thesis demonstrates and at the same time argues for a deeper understanding of not only the ways in which religious and artistic-aesthetic expressions are closely interrelated, but also the specific ways in which they are dialogically connected to and rooted in indigenous ontologies and knowledge systems. Analytical perspectives draw on several disciplinary sites, including methods of art history, oral history and debates in cultural anthropology, linguistics, religious studies, critical theory and postcolonial studies. Field methods and techniques of research emphasize qualitative approaches with visual ethnography, ethnographic interviews, oral history, direct observation, practice-based research and autoethnography as the primary modes of data collection and analysis. The theory and practice of the autoethnographic research encouraged constructive but critical engagement of personal biographical, experiential and deeply reflective moments as integral parts of the total interpretive framework. Drawing additionally on techniques of purposive, simple random sampling techniques and stratified further (e.g., along gender, age, type of shrine or religious house, etc.) the investigation identifies and underscores the relevance of indigenous philosophical outlook, knowledge systems, and everyday lived experiences in understanding the aesthetic dimensions of the visual arts in Anlo-Ewe Vodu religion and spirituality. Key findings and conclusions build on emergent perspectives and methodologies of African religious traditions and expressive art forms that privilege contextual-functional and “art-for-life’s sake” understanding, including spheres of religion and spirituality. Additionally, the thesis provides major correctives based on a set of indigenous perspectives and practices (in the areas of aesthetics, philosophy, visual arts and religious traditions) and which caution former and lingering usages and misguided perceptions rooted in notions of the “fetish,” “primitive,” etc. Since the religious contexts of Anlo-Ewe Vodu represent a complex of rituals that integrate the various art forms, the analysis argues that the Vodu tradition is best understood as a synesthetic whole involving the visual, corporeal, motional, sonic-aural (music dance, costume, gesture), and related affective domains of creativity; Anlo-Ewe examples sustain and elaborate on those of other African contexts. In sum, this work represents a major contribution to the identification and interpretation of the visual arts in African religious contexts, with emphasis on local aesthetic constructs and philosophical traditions and in relation to visuality as embodied tradition. 

Doctoral Thesis, 2019

JUGGLING WORDS, PLAYING SAGES: PROVERBS AND WISE SAYINGS IN GHANAIAN STUDENT PIDGIN 

Mawuli Adjei, Edzordzi G. Agbozo & Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

Proverbs and wise sayings in most cultures, though grounded in anonymity and communal authorship, have often been ascribed to sagacious old people from antiquity. Most studies on Ghanaian pidgin, a fast emerging area of scholarship, particularly Student Pidgin (SP), focus mainly on vocabulary, syntax and grammar, among other features. However, there is a growing body of proverbs in SP discourse which is not attracting interest among linguistic scholars and discourse analysts. This study fills the gap by presenting a sizeable corpus of SP proverbs and wise sayings which are analysed in the sociolinguistic domains in which they are generated, the diverse communication contexts in which they are deployed, taking into account their linguistic and literary qualities. The outcomes show that most of the proverbs are based on existing ones, allude to specific persons and phenomena while maintaining their uniqueness through the contexts of use. We then call for attention to this aspect of SP.

Keywords: Student Pidgin, Proverbs, Contexts, Discourse, Implication.

This article was originally published in Covenant Journal of Language Studies (CJLS).
To cite this article:

Still animation as an alternative means of (re)telling Ananse stories to Ghanaian children  

Mawuli Adjei & Sela Kodjo Adjei

Introduction

This study is an experiment with still animation as an innovative way of re-telling Ananse stories in the age of audio-visual and digital technology, it is essentially presented from a Ghanaian perspective, even though it may have relevance beyond its Ghanaian context. Ananse tales are believed to have originated among the Ashanti people in Ghana (“Ananse” is the Akan word for spider). They later spread to other Akan groups and then to the West Indies, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles through the Middle Passage as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. In Curasao, Aruba and Bonaire the character is known as Nanzi and his wife as Shi Mari. Despite the variation in names, the character persona portrayed in all the stories depicts Ananse as a trickster. In stories about Ananse, he is portrayed with anthropozoomorphic (human and spider) features which enable him to act and interact with the other characters as ordinary humans do. He speaks, acts and walks upright like a human does. Ananse stories have become such a prominent and familiar part of Akan oral culture that the word Anansesem (“spider tales”) has come to embrace all kinds of fables. One of the few studies that examine the role of Ananse folktales among the Ashanti of Ghana is Rattray’s Akan-Ashanti FolkTales (1930). The tales in Rattray’s collection were recorded directly from Ashanti oral storytelling sessions and published in both English and Twi. So well-known is Ananse that Anansesem has become an embodiment of the whole rich tradition of tales on which so many Ghanaian children are brought up (Appiah 1988). Ananse stories play various roles in Ghanaian culture. They impart many lessons, thereby educating both the young and the old not to take undue advantage of people’s weaknesses and to eschew negligence or ignorance. Additionally, folksongs and dances which accompany Ananse storytelling serve as powerful entertainment and recreational activities  in which the listeners are obliged to participate. Language, as a key component of culture, is learnt through storytelling. This helps to maintain the richness of Ghanaian languages. Storytelling techniques such as dramatic gestures, skillful voice modulation and abrupt but well-timed breaks and pauses in the narrative flow enable young listeners to learn the art of storytelling so as to pass it on to the next generation. Ananse stories also contain several literary devices, such as metaphors, irony, popular proverbs and adages, and creative ways to narrate everyday situations. While the contexts of many of these stories have inevitably been altered to fit the various cultural traditions and practices inherent in the different Ghanaian societies, the core elements such as the animal/human nature of Ananse - his intelligence, trickery, wisdom and character flaws - all remain the same. The major question that we are concerned with in the present essay is: How can Ghanaian Ananse stories be preserved and disseminated through still animation.

Book Chapter in Narrating (hi)stories in West Africa / edited by Bea Lundt and Ulrich Marzolph.

STILL ANIMATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF DISSEMINATING ANANSE STORIES IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF AGROYESUM IN THE ASHANTI REGION  

Sela Kodjo Adjei

Abstract

The main thrust of this dissertation is deeply entrenched in the rationale for disseminating and preserving Ananse folktales which is apparently declining in appreciation and has lost its appeal among the younger generation of the Ghanaian populace. This chasm creates a necessity which needs to be addressed through research. Additionally, Anansesem (a name given to Ananse folktales by the Akans of Ghana) is an embodiment of rich encyclopaedic knowledge about Ghanaian historical social organization, linguistics, dance, drama, folksongs and other essential traditional knowledge which must not be overlooked or allowed to die out. Since the inception of storytelling, man has stored his thoughts, world view, history, philosophy and culture in his traditional folktales. As such, this research attempts to elucidate such themes in the context of Ghanaian socio-cultural milieu from the past to contemporary era. Anansesem is the soul of Ghanaian morals and ethics which hones and shapes individual and societal behaviour for the benefit and social progress of the nation. In this regard, the gradual dearth of Anansesem is equivalent to the decline of Ghanaian morals and ethics. The research employed the qualitative research methodology coupled with multimedia studio practices and procedures. The multimedia studio procedure provides an all-inclusive follow- through and step-by-step still animation production model which is comprehensible, adaptable and can be employed to develop or conduct further research in folktales by future researchers. The research discusses informative findings, which highlight the impact, effectiveness and advantageous communicative capabilities still animation possesses over oral narratives. The main findings revealed, through the field testing and analyses of still animation viz-a-viz oral narratives, that still animation can be a valid alternative and comparatively effective audio-visual communication medium through which Ananse folktales and oral tradition can be disseminatedand preserved. Crucial findings and hypothesis, such as the hypothetical theory of Ananse’smanipulation scheme, the hypothetical classification of Ananse archetypes, the ethical and philosophical rationale behind the Ananse archetype summarize the uniqueness of this research in the study and evaluation of Anansesem and the Ananse archetype. It is therefore recommended that storytelling periods and sessions should be re-introduced in primary schools to enable children acquaint themselves with traditional Ghanaian folktales. On the basis of a field test at the St. Francis Primary School in Agroyesum (Ashanti Region), the research comes to the firm conclusion that the advantage and benefits animation offers in the discipline of audio-visual communication and motion graphics makes still animation an expedient communication medium for developing African societies struggling to eschew decadence and restore decorum, as well as decency among children, the youth and some elderly people.

MPhil Thesis, 2012