Felicia Abban’s path to becoming Ghana’s first female professional photographer started at her father’s side, when he took her on as his only female apprentice. After opening her own studio in Accra in 1955, she brought other women into the profession as apprentices during a career that spanned more than 50 years and included a stint as the official photographer for Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president.
“In Ghana and Accra as a woman, succeeding and thriving in the creative arts is very, very hard, and to uncover this history of this woman, who for 60 years stood her ground, is so empowering,” said Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, founder of ANO, an arts organization in Accra. “It’s important that we know that we are not starting from scratch.”
Proof of that is on display at ANO’s gallery, where Mrs. Abban and seven other artists are featured in “Accra: Portraits of a City,” which coincides with the nation’s 60th anniversary of independence this past Monday. The show explores various themes — including the link between geography and identity — through sculpture, drawing, photography, architecture, film, research and a public installation.
The show marks the first public exhibition of Mrs. Abban’s work. The organization is also helping to honor her legacy by turning her studio into a museum that will not only preserve her work but also offer workshops and space that will nurture the country’s next generation of artists.
The works being featured include the photography archive of the Deo Gratias Photo Studio, which shows the city’s early days as a fishing village; a series of structures by the architects Latifah Idriss and Mae Ling Lokko, which show how architecture has shaped the city’s identity. In addition, Paa Joes’s sculptures of fantasy coffins — elaborate creations that range from cars to beasts — highlight the rituals of deaths and funerals.
The inaugural show, which is scheduled to run through April 1, is a grand opening for ANO’s new contemporary multipurpose art space and is part of an effort to expand opportunities for local artists as well as to attract international ones.
“When you come to Accra now and you were here 10 years ago, it’s unbelievable the way that it’s changed,” Ms. Oforiatta-Ayim said. “The exhibition is really looking at the city and how it’s become what it’s become.”
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