Art Worlds in Ghana

I’ve told you plenty about our program for Nima: Muhinmanchi Art, but not so much about our artist coordinators, Yussif Aminu Larry and Musah Swallah. As we work behind-the-scenes on organizing the second annual Nima: Muhinmanchi Art, let me tell you a bit about our coordinators and their impressive work.

They are two of the most dedicated, generous, and proactive people I have ever met…from their tireless work arranging for supplies, running workshops, and building a team; to always accompanying me on the twenty minute walk to the tro-tro car home; to insisting on buying my mango when I was in their home turf…to their current efforts at planning for our next program amidst all their school and professional work. Which is not even to mention their beautiful and innovative artwork. Read on, check out the Facebook album, and LIKE Nima: Muhinmanchi Art, facebook.com/nimaart.gh. Tell us what you think on the Facebook page!

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Just got back from Nima: Muhinmanchi Art. I could hardly be happier, I was smiling the whole day. It may have been a bit crazy and crowded (Nima kids are a handful), but the art was amazing, the murals were so so beautiful, and man, the place was packed.

I’m touched by the kindness and support we received — from David, the manager at Paloma Restaurant who drove over half the food packages when our car was too full; to Jane, a waitress who’d helped me with directions last week, and actually came to the event; to Alex Akuffo, our photographer who got married YESTerday but came anyway; to my Ghanaian family the Otoos (they all came to “dangerous” Nima, even the kids); to my professor Jesse Shipley, the only one to be at my Ghana arts events both here and at Haverford (Intersecting Zones in December); to Panji, a hip life music producer I thought might be too busy to come, but ended up staying the whole day and said he’d be behind making this program an annual event. That’s not even the half of it, I can’t begin to thank the artists, students, sponsors, community leaders, and friends who came together today. I’m so lucky to have had Larry and Musah as partners, and Kelvin as my boss. K I’ll stop, sorry for getting sentimental guys.

Now they’re talking about V.I.P. and their new single on the radio. I feel pretty proud to have had them at our event. It was Prodigal’s birthday Thursday btw, happy birthday Prodigal (one of the three members).

Will post pictures later. Mom and Dad, hope you’re ready for all the paintings I bought.

P.S. Our IndieGogo fundraising site shuts down today, but if anyone wants to donate directly…we went a lettle bit over budget. Contact me.

So many rounds to do promoting the event, going to various TV and radio stations, dropping off posters at embassies and establishments, picking up art supplies, etc. People have been amazingly supportive, and  it looks like we’ll be getting plenty of news coverage. ‘Sgonna be big!

K, here are some photos from today’s meeting at the 441 school to figure out the mural. We met with everrryone working on the mural, not just the four leading workshops (Larry, Musah, Attukwei, Sharif) or the two guiding us (Mozzay and Shamoun, the established Nima artist teachers who are serving as our mentors/directors). The artists are designing the mural, and they’ll guide the students in painting it.

There's Shamoun and Mozzay in white at the back left. Musah's next to them in the hat, with Kamal, another artist pal I've been hearing about from Musah and finally got to meet. Mozzay and Shamoun taught all the young guys who are now working on the project. You can feel the respect when they walk into the room.

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Coral Paint agreed to be a sponsor and give us discounted supplies. Unik Image, which was going to give us a heavy discount, instead printed our posters (which look fab) completely FREE. Now we can spend the money on more art supplies. Woot woot. Also did I mention that Paloma Restaurant is providing some dishes for free, and Larry (Aminu)’s sister will cook up a huge pot of jollof rice for everyone?

Musah’s been busy buying supplies at the market. He, Larry, and Sharif met with the kids for more workshops yesterday. (Serge Attukwei Clottey is rejoining us next week once he’s done with his residency.) Musah was telling me about the pieces the students at Adab are doing…a mosque, a typical home in Nima, women fetching water. I can’t wait to see. In the meantime, I have lots of rounds to do, dropping off posters at various media houses and embassies. Can’t believe the event is one week from today.

And now I’m off to Chale Wote, that street art festival in Jamestown I mentioned in a previous post. Musah and Larry are both doing a painting on a building, Attukwei has his own show, and a bunch of my other friends are involved – Ato and Adwoa from the FCA; Bernard Akoi-Jackson whom I finally got to sit down with this week; Toke Olagbaju, a friend of a friend who runs I Heart Accra…and more.

Oy, potential sponsors are giving us a hard time. So…your support on IndieGogo would be great. Medasi paa (thanks very much) for what we’ve already received, you guys are great. Video’s up, btw.

On the bright side, Nima’s own hip life music group V.I.P. has agreed to perform. The event itself is going to rock, now we just have to get the funds.

VIP performing at Ghana Meets Nigeria at the Conference Center last Friday...just wait til they hit their home streets of Nima

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