In what many will call an unconventional form of art, Ghanaian artist, Ibrahim Mahama’s work has primarily focused on recycling abandoned objects.
He is widely known for creating a four-sided replica of Ghana’s Parliamentary chamber using dozens of old wooden lockers and train seats.
The knack to ensure inclusion and broaden conversations about arts motivated Ibrahim to resort to unconventional forms.
“If you want to make art that people are already familiar with, you might not be doing art. Like some of the works I have done in the past, it pushes you to have certain emotions and certain conversations that ordinarily you would not have had,” he explained on Citi TV’s Point of View.
In some of his fabric paintings, Ibrahim seeks to examine the history of cultural identity and commerce.
His work has been celebrated at various international exhibitions, including Tales From The Equatorial Line, 6th Lubumbashi Biennale, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2019); Parliament of Ghosts, The Whitworth, University of Manchester (2019); Labour of Many, Norval Foundation, Cape Town (2019), among others.
He believes Africa will gain more from the Arts industry if it capitalizes on its unique history and culture.
“There is something really special about the continent. In terms of our history, in terms of the economy, in terms of the people itself and in terms of the cultures that exist. For me, I have always thought it is important that we do capitalize on it…we can learn from the mistakes of western institutions and create new trajectories.”
