Amoako, P., Aidoo, K. B J. & Agbeshie, A. (2022). Visual Nexus of Akan Adinkra Symbols: Some Selected Works of Three Contemporary Ghanaian Artists

The paper sought to identify and examine the works of selected contemporary Ghanaian artists who incorporate Akan adinkra symbols into their paintings to portray Africanism. The study employed the qualitative case study research method using snowball sampling to select three artists and their works which are heavily laden with Akan adinkra symbols. Data were obtained through interviews, observation, review of documents and examination of artefacts. Content analysis was used in analysing the data. The findings indicate that all three artists have distinctive aesthetic significance for incorporating Akan adinkra symbols in their works. They consistently and vigorously engaged in incorporating adinkra symbols into their artistic productions and exposes the overwhelming sacred symbolism of these traditional symbols. It is recommended that other upcoming Ghanaian contemporary artists should inculcate Ghanaian traditional symbols and images into their artistic practices and write extensively on their works.

Visual nexus of Akan adinkra symbols: Some selected works of three contemporary Ghanaian artists
Published: January 7, 2023

Donkor, E. K., Micah, V. K. B. & Ankrah, O. (2022). Aesthetic analysis of Donkor’s scrap metal bull sculpture

Trading metal waste, especially discarded metals and electronic waste (e-waste), is an economic quest for some people in Ghana. Metal scavengers, collectors, and processors have used scrap metals for commercial and practical purposes. However, there seem to be very little scholarly writing on the aesthetic values of artworks created out of metal waste. The study sought to analyse the aesthetic values of Evans Donkor’s scrap metal bull sculpture composed of automobile parts. The study adopted a descriptive research design under the qualitative research approach. The study was centred on the scrap metal bull sculpture produced by Evans Donkor in 2015. The expert purposive sampling technique was adopted to gather data from art experts on the creation of the scrap metal bull sculpture. Data were analysed with the interpretive method as the discussion revealed that there were subjective values embodied in the composed scrap metal bull sculpture titled ‘Struggle for Perfection’ exhibited at the Department of Art Education, UEW, Winneba-Ghana. The study concludes that the creativity of Evans Donkor and his culmination of aesthetic understanding of metal waste into artwork strengthen art practice as well as managing the environmental challenges by getting into scrap metals as an alternative material for sculpture.

Aesthetic analysis of Donkor’s scrap metal bull sculpture
Published: January 7, 2023

Navei, N. (2022). Visual arts and environmental conservation in Ghana: A case study of selected paintings of Ablade Glover

Environmental art remains one of the suitable advocacy strategies to ensure the preservation and conservation of the natural environment for human posterity due to its effective awareness creation. It is against this backdrop that the pioneering contemporary Ghanaian Visual artists and their succeeding generation of artists have produced several Visual artworks for the promotion of environmental conservation in Ghana. However, their efforts have remained largely undocumented and could be misconstrued. This qualitative case study sought to aesthetically reveal the immense contributions of selected paintings of Ablade Glover toward environmental conservation in Ghana. Five paintings of Ablade Glover namely; Accra Floods, Slumscape, Sunrise, Red Forest, and Forest were purposively sampled with data collected through semi-structured interviews and unstructured observation. The study, through visual and descriptive analyses, found that the five aestheticised paintings of Ablade Glover are environmentally related advocacy-artefacts that seek to (re)create the awareness of city dwellers, urban planning authorities, and agencies about: the deadly seasonal disasters (floods) in Ghanaian cities (Accra); the presence of slums and their associated insanitary/health issues in Ghanaian cities (Accra), and other human unfriendly acts toward the natural environment. While Glover is encouraged to produce more of such environmentally-related paintings, the study recommends further aesthetical studies to be conducted on similar environmentally-related Visual Arts produced by Ghanaian Visual artists to decode their intended advocacy meanings to city dwellers, urban planning authorities, and the entirety of the Ghanaian populace. This stands to minimise and/or avert the seasonal floods in Ghanaian cities (Accra); deal with slums and their insanitary issues in Ghanaian cities (Accra) and generally protect the natural environment for posterity.

 

Visual arts and environmental conservation in Ghana: A case study of selected paintings of Ablade Glover
Published: January 7, 2023

NOTICE OF ATAG NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS 2021

Nominations are opened for the National and Regional ATAG Elections slated for August 7 2021.

Per the ATAG constitution, the vacant positions for the National are:

  • National President
  • Ist National Vice
  • 2nd National Vice
  • National Secretary
  • National Organiser
  • National Financial Secretary
  • National Treasurer
  • National Public Relations Officer
  • National Ladies’ Representative

 

The vacant Regional positions are:

  • Regional President
  • Ist Regional Vice
  • 2nd Regional l Vice
  • Regional Secretary
  • Regional Organizer
  • Regional Financial Secretary
  • Regional Treasurer
  • Regional Public Relations Officer
  • Regional Ladies’ Representative

 

Interested members should use provided link to fill the form:

https://forms.gle/y9aVS1UcVvL9LpU36

The deadline for submission of forms is 1st August 2021. Only registered members could stand for and could vote.

 

Note:

The nomination Fee is GHS 100 payable to ATAG Momo 0243852922.

Filled formed would be considered complete only after  payment of a non-refundable fee of GHS100

Thank You

2021 INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY FIX THE GHANA NATIONAL MUSEUM

 PRESS RELEASE

 # FIX THE GHANA NATIONAL MUSEUM 

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The Art Teachers’ Association of Ghana (ATAG) congratulate, salute and celebrate all Ghanaian museum staff. We appreciate your hard work! In celebrating this special occasion of International Museum Day (IMD) observed annually on May 18, we encourage all museum staff to continue with the good work they are doing for the nation.

We, the Art Teachers’ Association of Ghana, join hands with the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to celebrate this special day on the theme “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine”. This theme attracts sober reflection on the state of the nations’ national and regional museums considering the fact they have been left to rot under the watch of successive governments after the overthrow of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. In celebrating this day, marked annually for the purpose of awareness creation about the great importance of museums in the historical, educational and socio-cultural development of nations, it saddens our heart to come to terms with the harsh historical reality that governments after Nkrumah have done little or nothing to continue and or add to the progressive development of the national museum he built. The 1958 extension works started by Nkrumah have become a place for squatters. It has been left in ruins. Interestingly, Ghana National Museum is one of the oldest museums in West Africa.

The Ghana National Museum in Accra still inhabits the 1957 temporal building which was meant to be one of the galleries of the original structure. Sadly, this temporal structure leaks, making the collections unsafe. On December 24, 2015, this National Gallery of the Ghana Museums was closed to refurbish the leakages when it rains. Sadly, due to lack of political will, the renovation which began in 2015 has not been completed to date. The Museum of Science and Technology (MST) near Accra Technical University (formerly called Accra Poly) also leaks. The Ghana National Museum has been closed to the public for six years now due to leakage of the building. 

The national museum is facing leadership deficiency; has magnificent physical infrastructural deficit; serious funding problems; lacks proper branding strategy; and has obsolete laws. The Ghana National Museum needs proactive and action-oriented leadership to address the challenges of physical infrastructure, obsolete laws, funding concerns, and introduce a good branding strategy. This is because the museum shapes national identity, public arts education and enculturation of the current and future generations.

We are, therefore, appealing to the government to Fix-The-Ghana-National-Museum. Our national Museum must reflect our varied artistic cultures, and be a powerhouse of our art history and identity.

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Teye, V.Q.N. (2021). Exploring the benefits of using Interactive Learning System in Teaching Basic Design in Winneba Senior High School.

The study explored the benefits of using Interactive Learning System (ILS) in teaching Basic Design in Winneba Senior High School in the Central Region of Ghana. The perceived problem was that couple of teachers resort to textbook and chalkboard approach of teaching and learning which hinders better understanding. This was observed by the researcher in his regular visits to some of the schools. It is a common knowledge that when learners are taught without tangible teaching and learning materials, many a time, they have to imagine by trying to create mental pictures of what has been taught which may lead to distortions in their understanding. This informed the conduct of the study. Action research design constituted the research design for the study while census sampling technique was used to sample 70 respondents for the study. Simple descriptive statistics was used as the tool for data analysis. The study established that effective Interactive Learning Systems with multimedia component stored online and offline has the potential to facilitate easy understanding in learners in studying Basic Design in Senior High School.

Exploring the Benefits of Using Interactive Learning System in Teaching Basic Design in Winneba Senior High School
Published: April 13, 2021

Ankrah, O., Micah, V. K. B. & Donkor, E. K. (2021). Art and the Sublime: (De)Illusionism in the statue of Azumah Nelson at the Essipon Stadium, Ghana.

The relevance of the sublime is seen in the statue of Azumah Nelson at the Sekondi Essipon National Sports Stadium, Ghana, particularly of his philosophies and boxing achievements. Although the life-size cast aluminium scrap statue of the national sporting icon Azumah Nelson is mimetic and inspires awe and grandeur, there has been professional and public (de)illusions of the work. Many have observed and argued that though the statue conveys a message of nationality and vigour of his rule in the boxing ring for over two decades, others hold that there are issues of illusionism between the real and the fictive often served as the most poignant intensifier of visual pleasure of the statue. This study looks at the art of the sublime and (de)illusions of the statue of Azumah Nelson mounted at the Essipon National Sports Stadium in the Western Region of Ghana. Azumah Nelson is a boxing icon who brought fame and honour to Ghana. Using narrative and interpretive methods, the discussions revealed that there are (de)illusions reflecting in the statue of Azumah Nelson. These visual (de)illusions of mimesis, optical and reality were seen to be reflecting a state of bravery, courage, achievement and love for nation by Azumah Nelson.

Art and the Sublime: (De)Illusionism in the statue of Azumah Nelson at the Essipon Stadium, Ghana
Published: March 26, 2021

Koranteng, J., Ismaila, M., Adom, D. & Tetteh, M. (2020). Constructivist teaching strategies for graphic design education in selected senior high schools in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to find out the constructivist teaching strategies that can maximize students’ performances in Graphic Design in some selected Senior High Schools in Ghana. This was seen as important because of the weaknesses associated with teacher-centred teaching approaches such as using the lecture method that does not allow students to actively participate in the construction of knowledge. A qualitative inquiry was used in garnering data from 57 purposively selected sample consisting of 7 teachers and 50 students from Senior High Schools who have performed creditably in Graphic Design education in Ghana. Data were solicited from them via personal interviews, focus group discussions, and direct classroom observations on the effective teaching strategies for Graphic Design that maximize students’ learning outcomes. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis under the qualitative research approach. The results showed that student-centred teaching strategies were more effective in the teaching of the Graphic Design subject in the selected Senior High Schools in Ghana as against the popular teacher-centred approaches. Thus, Demonstration, Discussion, Cooperative- Learning, Problem-Solving, and Project-Based teaching strategies were observed to actively involve students and promoted more hands-on activities that assisted learners in acquiring the required vocational skills in the field of Graphic Design. Addressing challenges such as appropriate working studios, provision of  recommended textbooks, computers for the introduction of CAD programmes proved to be effective means of enhancing Graphic Design education in the selected Senior High Schools. The study concludes that for Graphic Design education in the selected Senior High Schools to fully fulfill its objectives of assisting learners to gain the required content knowledge and hands-on skills in their chosen fields of study, more effective learner-centred teaching strategies such as discussion, problem-solving and project-based teaching strategies must be used.

Constructivist teaching strategies for graphic design education in selected senior high schools in Ghana
Published: December 8, 2020

Navei, N. (2020). Tracer study on the employability of Graphic Design graduates of University of Education, Winneba

 Premised on qualitative case study design, the study investigated the employability of Graphic Design graduates of University of Education, Winneba (UEW) with reference to graduate expectations and realities in the world of work. Twenty-eight (28) Bachelor of Arts (BA) Graphic Design graduates of the July 2012 year group and one other key participant all of the Department of Graphic Design of UEW were selected through the use of purposive and exponential non-discriminate snowball sampling techniques. Empirical data were collected through opinionnaire and semistructured interview. The study found the rationale of BA Graphic Design programme of UEW to have bi-focal agenda of equipping its graduates with the needed expertise in Graphic Design practice and education as well as guarantee its graduates employability in the industrial or entrepreneurial establishments. It was also established that most of the July 2012 BA Graphic Design graduates of UEW expected to gain immediate employment by the industry only, after graduation. Since the rationale of the programme is bi-focal in nature, the study recommends that the department of Graphic Design, UEW should provide adequate sensitization and orientation to prospective applicants including continuing students on the nature of the programme as well as initiate career orientation programmes for its graduates in order to broaden their knowledge on employability in any of the job prospects of the programme after school.

Tracer study on the employability of Graphic Design graduates of University of Education, Winneba
Published: December 8, 2020

Analysis of Ghanaian political parties’ manifesto promises on the creative Arts sector: A case study of 2012, 2016 & 2020 manifestoes

During every election year, both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) articulate their campaign promises on what they intend doing to promote the entire Creative Arts sector in their manifestoes. The duopoly (NDC & NPP), have been alternating political power in the fourth republic of Ghana. It is against this background that this study focused on the comparative content analysis of the manifestoes of these two major political parties in Ghana to reveal their promises and its deliverability relating to the Creative Arts. Comparative content analytical approach was used to analyse the content of the promises. It took into cognisance the promises they delivered when they were given the nod by the Ghanaian electorates. The study revealed that with the absence of National Creative Arts Policy, both the NDC and NPP have provided middle-of-the-road art policies in their manifestoes which have largely remained unfulfilled since 2012 to present. The promises were bias towards the performing arts, leaving the Visual Arts. Both parties made promises of establishing a resilient Creative Arts sector by building and supporting more museums, create jobs for art and craft producers through their policy initiatives. They also promised of building art galleries and regional theatres and establish Creative Arts Fund, support musicians, film actors and producers in the performing arts industry, yet all these juicy promises have proved to be mere lip service under the respective tenure of these two political parties.

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