Critical interventions in emerging Ghanaian contemporary ceramic practice

Abstract

This article discusses Ghanaian ceramic art and the critical interventions that are driving an emerging contemporary ceramic practice. Ghanaian ceramic art, until a decade ago (from 2011), have had a stagnant traditional practice and has struggled to be seen, heard and valued within local and global contemporary art discourse. Reviews and reforms of art education have provided critical interventions to addressing this issue. Discussing the works of Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng, Eugene Ofori Agyei, Frederick Ebenezer Okai, Alex Awuku and a few other Ghanaian traditional artists, we reveal how these young Ghanaian contemporary ceramic artists are navigating their path to creating new artistic identities and pushing the boundaries of conventional Ghanaian ceramics, questioning stereotyping and pigeonholing. These developments also point to the meaningful expansion of ceramics in contemporary art education more generally.