Ghanaian Artists Attend International Fair

THE SPANISH Embassy in Accra, in collaboration with Professor Ablade Glover’s Artists Gallery, last Wednesday organized a cocktail reception at the Artists Alliance Gallery in Accra to present Ghana’s participation in the 2008 edition of ARCO. The ceremony was attended by local artists, diplomats and representatives of some of Ghana’s key institutions in the artistic, cultural and academic worlds. The purpose was not only to present Ghana’s participation in ARCO but also to serve as a meeting point for the different actors that have a stake in the country’s rich and diverse legacy. ARCO is Spain’s International Contemporary Art Fair which would take place in Madrid from February 13 to 18. This is held through the Arte In Visible Programme, coordinated by the Spanish Agency Development Cooperation (AECID). The goal of the Arte In Visible Programme is to publicize works of artists from countries which do not always have the means to enter the international market. It also aims to benefit from cultural and artistic activities as a tool for development. This year’s edition focuses on Ghana, Senegal and Niger, three African countries with lots of artistic talents which undoubtedly deserve ample international recognition. Three Ghanaian artists have been invited to represent Ghana at the fair. They are Gabriel Eklou, Betty Acquah and Nigerian-born Joseph Kolawole. The curator for Ghana’s representatives is Professor Ablade Glover, one of Ghana’s leading artists and art promoter since the early 1960s. In the last forty years his works have been exhibited all over Africa as well as the United States, UK and other European countries. Professor Glover has pursued a successful academic career at the College of Art, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi from 1965 to 1994, where he became Dean of the College. Furthermore, he is the founder and Executive Director of the Artistes Alliance Gallery in Accra, where he continues to promote and encourage Ghanaian and other African artists.