dot.ateliers, Accra, Ghana
17 Dec 2022 - 15 Jan 2023
The art scene in Accra has taken a revolutionary turn with the opening of dot.ateliers, a new artistic space founded by acclaimed contemporary artist Amoako Boafo. Designed by award-winning architect Sir David Adjaye OBE, the space was built and developed with sustainability and the next generation of artists in mind.
The three-story building is an architectural masterpiece, created with the vision to cultivate an ecologically-responsive and community-oriented destination within the community. The monolithic three-story structure featured a gallery, studio, café, art library, office, and external generator yard, and was conceived as an “architectural tool” for rethinking the possibilities of sustainable design within its waterfront neighbourhood. The low carbon footprint building was defined by a signature sawtooth roof, while the gallery level was bathed in natural diffused light, cultivating an ideal environment for art display. The opening of the space spoke to Boafo’s desire to strengthen the scope for art venues in his hometown.
“Artists bring so much value to the world and don’t ask for much in return except for support in the form of spaces and materials to create and freedom to experiment with their creativity and maybe recognition to crown it all. It has always been a passion of mine to support artists, especially those from the continent and those in the diaspora as a whole. Hopefully, a little assistance from us all can help grow their talents, add value to themselves and their works, thus allowing them to continue adding value to the world.” – Amoako Boafo
To launch the space, dot. ateliers hosted its inaugural exhibition HOMEGROWN, which ran from December 17th 2022 to January 15th 2023.
HOMEGROWN was a solo exhibition of work by Amoako Boafo, curated by Nigerian-British curator, Aindrea Emelife. The exhibition served as a reflection on Boafo’s practice and his associations with home, community, and an expansive art history, with work from recent years. With representations of key elements of his work – such as representations of the Black figure, pattern transfer, investigations into interior scenes, and deeply textured and unique renderings of the skin, the show presented an abridged history of Boafo’s artistic interests and signature style, presented for the first time in his hometown of Accra. The exhibition focused on previously unseen works from Boafo’s personal archive. Thus, with this exhibition, Boafo shared the legacy of his pioneering work with the community in Ghana, while also allowing further curiosity into the references and ideas central to his practice.
for more on the event see below: