This August, PhD student Sterling Nix traveled to Accra, Ghana to conduct research for his upcoming MA Thesis. Sterling’s primary focus was to attend the Chale Wote Street Arts Festival in its 2023 iteration Magneto Motherland, as well as connect with artists in the community and explore gallery/museum spaces. The infrastructure for the arts in Accra is established and burgeoning, with much credit to be given to several artists who balance art production and performance in Accra, while selling in the West all for the resources to return home, providing a pathway for emerging artists. Sterling was intent to engage the movement of art and artists of Africa as it relates to the formation of black identity in the context of diaspora.

During this trip Sterling attended Chale Wote Film Screenings, WorldFaze gallery opening, Nubuke Foundation, Gallery 1957 and the Kwame Nkrumah Museum. Furthermore, he conducted studio visits with Rufai Zakari and met his mentor Mozzay. Along with Rufai, Sterling met artists Daniel Tetteh Nartey, Theresah Ankomah, Jephthah Bentsil Kobiah, Kwesi Botchway, curator Abraham Tetteh and Philip Seiyie, manager of WorldFaze. Each of whom will be soon coming to Columbus for an Artist Residency Exchange, save for Kwesi Botchway whose work will be part of a group exhibition at the CMA in October.

This trip was generously funded by the History of Art startup research funds and the Aida Cannarsa Snow Scholarship Fund.