50th anniversary exhibition of The Loom Art Gallery to end Saturday

It showed the works of 25 artists, each presenting two works, but much more than that, a close look at the exhibition tells the history, at least, of three generations art in Ghana.

Professor Ablade Sower whose “Red Forest” is prominently displayed exhibited with Larry Otoo, Robert Aryeetey, Heather Badger, Kate Badoe and Nicholas Kowalski who were his pupils.

Professors Ato Delaquis and Ben Offei Nyarko also taught these artists at KNUST and left each one of them a spark of creativity to appear in different forms later. Larry Otoo with:

“We the People” presenting the various activities of Ghanaians in gentle colour, Heather Badger with her adinkra boxes blending the traditional with the contemporary, Kate Badoe, from faraway America, presents beautiful designs with Cowries and Raffia, Nicholas Kowalski depicts ordinary things like fish sellers in what he calls ‘happy and beautiful colours’.

Oko Matey’s towering sculptures overpower everything in sight, including visitors.

Emmanuel Quartey-Papafio, a product of the College of Education in Winneba, specialises in painting the forts and castles of Ghana but his ‘Journey’, a painting of a slave ship leaving a castle, is overwhelming.

Ghanatta College

The Ghanatta College of Art and Design is well represented in this exhibition with no fewer than five artists in the show.

The veteran artist, Seth Clottey, is here with his unique urban scenes, Adjei Sowah brings back his lovely ladies in “Fashion”, Nii Teiko Ayitey’s style dubbed “lineism” is very effective in both portrait and trotros.

Aubrey-Seth Attoh is another Ghanatta product but is fascinated by the environment and people’s expression.

His “Shanty” speaks volumes.

Victor Odoi’s contribution of “Pounders” and “Music Makers” fills us with nostalgia.

Ghana has many self-taught artists, some of whom are quite famous. It was refreshing to see Nana Amu Fleischer-Djoleto’s “Ebb and Flow”. Gabriel Eklou’s “Goodbye” was a typical blend of the traditional and contemporary, laced with his brand of humour.

One is tempted to describe Victor Butler as a special guest at this exhibition. Self-taught and internationally acclaimed he does not often exhibit his work publicly so his two abstract paintings “Cape Coast to Accra” and “Open Door” have a great novelty value.

No group exhibition at The Loom is complete without a presentation by Kati Torda of her beads, “Cast your net, Catch your wealth” is an attractive rousing display with cowrie shells.

Exhibition

Samuel Lovi’s ceramics have a special place in this exhibition and he displays a variety of them. The new teapots are already antiques. There are also paper works by John Mensah and Gordon Amponsah.

“Twenty five at fifty” is worth a leisurely visit before it ends.

Many things escaped the first glance and the scope of the exhibition is wide.
The Loom Art Gallery, reputed as Ghana’s premier privately owned art gallery, is owned by Frances Ademola.

It is located in Samlotte House, Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Accra, and is next door to the East Cantonments Pharmacy. This iconic art gallery has had the privilege in the past 50 years of presenting a great number of gifted Ghanaian artists to art lovers and also of discovering a few, Mrs Ademola modestly noted.