Celebrated Ghanaian artist and Absa L’Atelier Ambassador, Michael Jackson ‘MJ’ Blebo, is currently showcasing his solo exhibition ‘A Thatch of Ochres’ at the Noldor Residency Gallery in Accra. This distinctive installation, which runs until August 16 2024, is presented in collaboration with the South African National Association with the Visual Arts (SANAVA).
According to Michael Blebo, ‘A Thatch of Ochres’ explores the subconscious and represents a post-Wakanda utopia, where signs become critical forms. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the adakadan, a multidisciplinary site-specific installation and time capsule named Space Travel.
“It explores an indigenous traditional culture where I incorporate modern materials like mirrors and glass to fuse in a traditional way of building,” he said.
According to him, “It’s also related to awareness and sustainability. We all know in our country that the prices of cement have hiked, and we are pushing back the kind of materials we are using to build our homes,” he noted. “I realised that Ghana has about a 1.2 million deficit of homes. I believe this is a perfect place for architects and the government to also explore these ideas in the education of the children and the older residents,” he added.
Senior Specialist: Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, Dr. Paul Bayliss, praised the exhibition saying, “We are proud to support the arts on the continent and recognise the importance of stories like MJ’s and the people of Ghana, told through art. The Absa L’Atelier is a testament to our brand promise of ‘Your Story Matters’, and we are excited to bring this exhibition to Ghana, where it will undoubtedly resonate with art enthusiasts.”
The Absa L’Atelier art competition is hosted annually by Absa in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA). Every year emerging visual artists from across Africa are given the opportunity to showcase their talents. Additionally, the competition offers them a platform to explore themes and contemporary issues, while setting the stage to bring their possibilities to life. Artists, aged 21 to 40, who are citizens, permanent residents and living in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, the Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, are eligible to enter the competition.
‘A Thatch of Ochres: A Solo Installation by Michael Jackson Blebo’ can be experienced at the Noldor Residency Gallery in Accra, Ghana, from July 12 to August 16, 2024.
About Absa L’Atelier
The Absa L’Atelier competition is about affording artists with the relevant skillset to develop and thrive as an artist in a forever changing world. The Absa L’Atelier competition is hosted annually by Absa in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).
Every year emerging visual artists from across Africa are given the opportunity to showcase their talents through the Absa L’Atelier. Additionally, the competition offers them a platform to explore themes and contemporary issues, while setting the stage to bring their possibilities to life. One only must look at the past winning artists who have become Ambassadors, to see how winning the Absa L’Atelier has helped to launch their careers and to grow their craft on a global stage.
Artists, aged 21 to 40, who are citizens, permanent residents and living in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, the Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, are eligible to enter the competition.
For further information about Absa L’Atelier, visit www.latelier.absa.africa.
About Absa Bank Ghana LTD
Absa Bank Ghana Limited is one of Ghana’s leading financial institutions offering an integrated set of products and services across Corporate and Investment Banking, Business Banking with solutions for SMEs, and Retail Banking. Absa Bank Ghana is part of Absa Group Limited, one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. The Group has a presence in 12 African countries and representative offices in London, New York, and Beijing. Backed by its 107-year legacy in Ghana, Absa is inspired by the stories of the people it serves. As a values-driven and purposed-led organisation, Absa is committed to empowering Africa’s tomorrow together, one story at a time.
For more about Absa Bank Ghana, its products, and services, visit www.absa.com.gh
About Absa Group Limited
Absa Group Limited (‘Absa Group’) is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance.
Absa Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria, and the United States, as well as securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, along with technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic.
For further information about Absa Group Limited, visit www.absa.africa