Akwaba, the title of the opening exhibition, shows African painters of their generation or artists with a connection to Africa from September 4th, 2020 to October 3rd, 2020.
«Akwaba» means «welcome» in the African Twi language spoken by the Akan people in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The term "Akwaba" also has a creative meaning. In the ancient Akan mythology, the fertility figure Akwaba is revered as the creator mother of the earth. The works reflect about Africa as the origin of the world, but also question the creative power of humans and the gap between modernity and tradition that meet in the big cities of Africa.
The artist Koné Zie and the artist Belén deal with the act of creation and spirituality. The semi-figurative works of Koné Zie, strongly inspired by African culture and traditions, address the origin of life as well as the community and spirituality in Africa. The abstract landscapes of the artist Belén are symbols of the creative power in the nature, Africa as its origin forms the central starting point of her work. The two artists Yéanzi and Atowola deal in their portraits with children and youth. Both artists show this subject in a multifaceted way and at the same time deal with the dialect of the individual and the collective group. The "Série Bleu" conceived for this exhibition by the artists Zinahin and Serges Aboua shows urban life in the metropolis of Abidjan, the economic capital of the Côte d'Ivoire, which is also called 'Little Manhatten' because of its modern architecture and a large number of skyscrapers. Yannick Ackah and Ngoye dedicate themselves in their works to the mental and inner state of people. Both use scenes from everyday life in combination with elements from African culture such as masks and sculptures as inspiration for their compositions.
Akwaba, welcome - with this in mind, the gallery welcomes its visitors and African artists to Hamburg.
An exhibition by Stella Melbye-Konan, Curatorial assistance by Luna Sünkel.
