5 March 2014 – 13 April 2014

Du Bois In Our Time

Bernard Akoi-Jackson 
Adwoa Amoah
Ato Annan, Yaganoma Baatuolkuu
Serge Clottey 
Kelvin Haizel
Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh
Mawuli Tofah

It has been 50 years since the death of W.E.B. Du Bois. On 6 March, it will also mark 170 years since the ‘Bond of 1844’ was signed by the Fante chiefs.

Since June 2013, these two historical events have inspired a group of artists to explore the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois—the Pan-Africanist, civil rights leader, writer, poet, and thinker. The artists have been searching and examining in a broad context what Du Bois stood for and how his ideals resonate in our present time.

The signing of the Bond of 1844 eventually evolved into a colonial relationship between the Gold Coast and Great Britain. During Ghana’s fight for independence, Kwame Nkrumah met W.E.B. Du Bois, who later moved to the Gold Coast and worked with Nkrumah until his death in Ghana in 1963. Du Bois played a significant role in shaping Nkrumah’s vision for the liberation of the African continent and for Ghana.

These two events are both significant and relevant, especially when reviewed in the context of the 57th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.

The project, Du Bois in Our Time, began at the University of Amherst, Massachusetts, USA—home to a vast collection of memorabilia, archives, and writings by W.E.B. Du Bois—and continued in Accra, his final resting place.

Artists spent time at the Du Bois Centre, immersed in the ‘spirit’ of Du Bois—his library, rooms, and personal spaces. During this time, they also interacted with scholars, staff at the Du Bois Centre, and Pan-Africanist clubs, enriching their understanding of his work and influence.

UK-based artist Mary Evans has delved into these memories to create a site-specific work using paper cuttings, plates, and silhouettes to immerse, captivate, and energize the viewer with the spirit of Kwame Nkrumah, Shirley Graham, and W.E.B. Du Bois during the Pan-Africanist struggles.

Artworks & Process

Eight Ghanaian artists—Bernard Akoi-Jackson, Adwoa Amoah, Ato Annan, Yaganoma Baatuolkuu, Serge Clottey, Kelvin Haizel, Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh, and Mawuli Tofah—challenged themselves with the production of multimedia art forms.

After participating in workshops with video and sound artists Emeka Ogboh and Jude Anogwih from the Video Art Network, the artists embarked on a journey of self-discovery in multimedia art—using sound, photography, video, and tools that many of them had not used before.

Their works, installed in the rooms and corridors of the Du Bois museum and mausoleum, evoke a myriad of emotions: sadness, expectation, energy, hope, excitement, and nostalgia.

The management and staff of the Du Bois Centre recognized the importance of contemporary art practice and offered their support in various ways. The re-energizing of the museum space and the mausoleum is an experience not to be missed.

This exhibition was curated by the Nubuke Foundation with support from Uzora Projects in Nigeria. The entire project was made possible through the support of the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne.

The opening will take place at 3:00 PM on 5 March 2014 and will be immediately followed by a discussion with the artists, scholars, and other panelists.

Children’s art workshops will be held in the grounds of the Du Bois Centre at 12:00 PM on 6 March 2014.

Workshops

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