Just like Nkrumah Said
"We face neither East nor West..
..we face forward." With a focus on progress, we have another unpacked feature for this week's Ctrl Cultr series. A touch on culture, art and ‘What dey happen?’
Let’s take a look at this week:
Homowo Festival – What do you know about it?
Thomas Fynn Showcases African Culture in California
Basquiat’s Painting Sold For $12.6 Million at Hong Kong Auction
Mahama Unveils Plan for New City to Ease Accra Congestion
The Homowo Festival is a significant celebration among the Ga people of Ghana. Rooted in history and tradition, this annual ceremony brings communities together to honor their heritage, commemorate their migration, and give thanks for a bountiful harvest.
The word Homowo translates to “hoot at hunger” in the Ga language. Its origins date back centuries to a devastating famine that struck the Ga people in precolonial times. During this period of scarcity, the Ga faced hunger and hardship due to the failure of seasonal rains needed for crop cultivation. When the rains finally returned, the Ga celebrated their survival by hooting at hunger, thus giving birth to the Homowo Festival. Continue Reading….
Mr. Thomas Fynn, a celebrated Ghanaian photographer, is showcasing the vibrant culture of Ghana and Africa in California through his exhibition “Spirit Possession: Celebration of Ghanaian Faces, African Culture, and Heritage.” Held at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) in Santa Ana from June 1 to June 29, 2024, this exhibition features themes ranging from historic monuments to ethno-cultural presentations. The event aims to highlight Ghana as a top tourist destination and promote cultural appreciation and economic growth.
The exhibition is a collaborative effort with Mr. Thomas Appleton Lamb, a U.S.-based landscape and ethnographic photographer, and Allyson Allen, a master African-American textile artist. It contrasts traditional Ghanaian fabrics with Allen’s contemporary textiles and forms part of the Juneteenth Celebration, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Continue Reading….
The highest-priced piece sold in Hong Kong this season marks a successful auction for Phillips.
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982 painting Native Carrying Some Guns, Bibles, Amorites on Safari was sold for $12.6 million at a Phillips modern and contemporary art evening auction in Hong Kong this week. The final price, which includes the buyer’s premium, slightly surpassed the painting’s low estimate of $12 million, making it the highest-priced piece sold in Hong Kong this season.
This sale follows the auction of another Basquiat piece, Untitled (ELMAR), also from 1982, which achieved $46.5 million at Phillips’s modern and contemporary art evening sale in New York earlier this month. That work was the priciest lot sold during the New York auctions.
“These outstanding results confirm our unwavering dedication to Basquiat’s legacy and truly showed all of which we are capable”
Phillips has sold three early Basquiat works this spring. Among them, Untitled (Portrait of a Famous Ballplayer) from 1981 fetched $7.8 million at another Phillips modern and contemporary art evening sale. Continue Reading….
The 2024 flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has unveiled plans to establish a new administrative city outside the Greater Accra Region. This initiative aims to speed up government services and address the severe congestion in the capital.
The congestion has hindered business growth and disrupted the smooth delivery of government services, despite the country’s decentralisation efforts.
In a meeting with the European Union Ambassador and the EU Chamber of Commerce on May 28, 2024, Mr Mahama emphasised the necessity of this project. He pointed out that the overcrowding in Accra has become a significant obstacle to economic development and efficient governance. The new city is envisioned as a long-term solution to these pressing issues. Continue Reading….
CrosXCulture: