ever so present
december 14 2024 to february 28 2025
The group exhibition Ever So Present offers a contemplative journey through time and place, as seen in the paintings of contemporary artists Jessica Alazraki, Ermias Ekube, Rebekka Macht, Velma Rosai-Makhandia, Soimadou Ibrahim and Ferguson Amo, all 2024 residents at dot.ateliers.
Throughout art history, Europe has been positioned as a cultural hub where artists from across the world converged. Often, this circulation of artists gave rise to transformative artistic and intellectual movements which shape our perceptions of certain places across time. In the context of postcolonial Africa and contemporary art, a similar phenomenon has emerged more recently, with a new generation of artists traveling from diverse regions of the world to specific African cities or countries for creative exploration. This year’s artists-in-residence at dot.ateliers arrived in Ghana open to novelty, curious about how their temporary dislocation might shape their work.
During their stay in Accra, Ghana’s dynamic capital, the city became more than just a place of work. It served as a profound source of inspiration explicitly or implicitly referenced in the artworks. The experience of displacement encouraged experimentation, as the artists embraced new avenues of artistic exploration, taking the form of abstract or figurative paintings that reflect their evolving practices. Common threads running through their creations include a sense of deep connection to their surroundings and themes of introspection, memory and encounter. These elements imbue their creations with fresh dimensions, offering a localized reading.
Each artist in Ever So Present explores distinct subjects and queries. With the exception of Ferguson Amo who hails from Ghana, the artists immersed themselves in a new cultural environment, continuously seeking to connect with their surroundings, and actively channeling those experiences into their new bodies of work—some of them unconsciously mirroring the process of memory formation.
The paintings on view reflect the different interests of each former resident, underscored by the impact of their encounter with the city of Accra and its people, ever so present throughout their creations. The exhibition has been curated to appeal to the visitors’ senses, with a soundscape by Ermias Ekube welcoming them into the gallery and creating an immersive experience. This collection of sounds, recorded in the streets of South Labadi and on the seashore during his residency, sonically represents the rhythm of navigating Accra. It provides a heightened sense of presence that sets a context and echoes across the artworks in the exhibition.
Ever So Present opens with two evocative blue paintings by Ferguson Amo and Rebekka Macht, both delving into the psychological and exploring facets of identity. Amo’s Echoes of a Wanderer is a contemporary take on Caspar David Friedrich’s iconic Romantic landscape painting Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog. Drawing from multiple visual references, the painting investigates the intricacies of his dual existence as a Ghanaian in the diaspora. In this rendition, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Friedrich’s original are replaced by the peaks that crown the skies of Koforidua, Amo’s hometown in Ghana’s Eastern Region. Ahead of the male figure, whose back is turned to the viewer, stretches intense abstract blue skies and a sea of fog from which emerges a recognizable monument of Accra: the Independence Arch. This poignant nod to Ghana reinvigorates the painting’s themes of transcendence.
In parallel, Macht’s Weigh offers a striking exploration of identity, with an introspective approach focusing on the hands invites viewers to reflect on the subtleties of human connection and the emotional weight carried by individuals. Together, the two works form a powerful dialogue, each offering a distinct yet resonant investigation into identity and psychological landscapes with allusions to Ghana.
Artists have often served as timekeepers, their works enduring across generations and offering vital insights into different eras. Ermias Ekube’s large oil paintings in Ever So Present turn our attention to the everyday lives of coastal communities in Accra. Through elevating portraits rendered in a pale color palette and compositions that recall classical European styles, his works evoke cherished memories and carry a sense of nostalgia. In contrast but with similar intentions, Jessica Alazraki’s vibrant portraits celebrate Ghanaian interiors and lifestyles. By incorporating recognizable Ankara patterns and Adinkrah symbols—novelties to her practice—she creates a tactile connection to local textile traditions.
Furthering this exploration of Ghanaian life, Soimadou Ibrahim’s abstract painting, constructed as a net in motion and rendered in earthy pigments reflecting Accra’s landscape, highlights the daily routines of the people he encountered. His work also offers a study of how these interactions shape an individual’s sense of becoming.
Velma Rosai-Makhandia’s triptych—the largest work in the exhibition—explores cultural and mythological parallels between her native Kenya and Ghana. Titled When the Serpent Awoke from Slumber and Created Worlds, the painting merges literature with metaphysical inquiries to reimagine the genesis of the world. Positioned at the crossroads of abstraction and figuration, the work draws on mythologies that shape religious and cultural beliefs, offering a fantastical, surreal vision of creation.
Ever So Present is a meditation on the transformative potential of dislocation and creative exchange. Through diverse styles and perspectives, the exhibition weaves together narratives of identity, memory, and cultural resonance, inviting viewers to engage with the interconnectedness of place and artistic expression. Each work, shaped by the unique experiences of its creator, offers a localized lens that underscores the profound dialogue between the artists and the city of Accra.
- Text by Brice Arsène Yonkeu
installation view
