Ibrahim Mahama has made some curious purchases over the past three years: a grain silo, and several aeroplanes meant for the scrapyard. In 2020, the Ghanaian artist acquired the silo, which had lain unused since the 1960s, in the town of Tamale in the country’s north. Mahama renovated the decrepit building, and opened the space as Nkrumah Volini, a cultural institution featuring exhibitions and programming for locals and younger generations that he hopes will inspire.
It’s this same drive for fostering young minds that motivated the artist to open the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) and Red Clay Studio in Tamale, the latter of which also serves as the artist’s studio space.
The artist offers to give Tatler a mini-tour of Red Clay Studio over video chat. A far cry from the stereotype of an artist’s studio—the stereotypical high-ceilinged, paint-filled room where the temperamental artist works in tortured solitude—his is more of a complex, and it’s almost always packed with visitors. As he takes us around, hordes of uniformed children are seen spilling out of school buses; the artist says they are expecting at least 2,000 visitors that week alone.
In addition to children, members of the local community frequent his spaces; Mahama hopes to get people of all backgrounds to engage with and think about art and local history in unconventional ways. “I’m building an institution within an environment which has not had this level of justice in terms of thinking about art or contemporary art in its history.”
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Tatler Malaysia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Tatler Malaysia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Waves of Wonder
Chaumet's Ondes & Merveilles high jewellery collection invents a unique language of the sea, capturing the colours and joy of life within and around the expansive depths
Bright, Light, Bella
Bella Hadid's star shines brighter as the new face of Chopard's iconic Ice Cube collection
Beauty Playbook
We tapped the British make-up extraordinaire Pat McGrath to talk all things beauty as she takes us through her early beginnings, creative process, make-up tips and more
The Chloé Woman, Reborn
As we head into fall-winter 2024, let's unpack one of the most anticipated collections of the season-Chemena Kamali's homecoming collection for Chloé
To the Mun and Back
Korean actress Mun Ka-young opens up about her dream destinations and her non-negotiable in-flight skincare essentials
One Step at Time
We speak to Edgardo Osorio, founder of luxury footwear brand Aquazzura, on his vision of comfort and glamour, from weddings to world stages
Seams Like Art
Eleen Tan, a fashion illustrator and art lecturer, talks about finding success and fulfilment in the fast-paced fashion industry without sewing a single stitch
POWERFUL LITTLE PERFORMER
In both her wardrobe choices and acting roles, Eyka Farhana demonstrates remarkable range
HOT DAME!
Meet the chic 89-year-old great-grandmother whose story of family and romantic reunion is as awe-inspiring as her timeless elegance
Digital Transformation
Newly appointed managing director of Microsoft Malaysia Laurence Si brings 30 years of experience to the role