Kizito Nii Amarh Amartey, the former head of visual arts at the Centre for National Culture, has urged the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board to work with Ghanaian artists to preserve our culture and legacy.
Speaking on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the second iteration of the art exhibition called “Contemporary_emerge,” Mr. Amartey expressed concerns about Ghana’s slow loss of cultural identity.
He pointed out that traditional kitchen utensils, like the grinding stone, mortar, and pestle, which were once highly valued and representative of our society, are gradually losing their value and may soon go extinct due to the introduction of various modern appliances like blenders, fufu pounding machines, cooking stoves, etc.
Considering this, he directed the Board of Museums and Monuments to make sure that this priceless legacy is preserved.
“Over the years, I’ve visited different museums and found that you can learn a lot about a country’s culture, history, and ideals just by entering. Our museum in Ghana has undergone considerable renovations, but I believe there are still some important components missing.
“Museums should not just document and save items that are in danger of disappearing, but also items that the nation values even now. To ensure that our museum has a strong representation, we must investigate every region. In addition, he said, “I’ll be glad to see a wider range of artists involved so that we look at what is happening in the contemporary sense in addition to preserving history.”
Kizito’s appeal is one more voice in the multitude that supports the conservation of Ghanaian culture. He firmly feels that cooperation amongst important industry players is one way this might occur.
Kizito debuted his most recent work, “Mukasi,” at this year’s Contemporary_emerge. This outstanding piece of art cleverly integrates elements of the local kitchen, like the kitchen stool, earthenware pot, mortar, and pestle, among others.
Contemporary_emerge is a vibrant venue where up-and-coming artists can present their own creations and viewpoints.
Kizito Nii Amarh Amartey founded it with the intention of highlighting the changing voices and trends in the contemporary art landscape and giving artists a platform to exhibit their work, interact with a range of subjects, and add to the conversation about culture.
This year’s Contemporary_emerge Arts Exhibition also featured and honored ten young, talented Ghanaian artists: Ernest Boafo, Suzzy Owusu Boadi, Judith Edem Quansah, Adam Tata Dasagbor, Lilian Asiamah, Asiedu Edward Ankomah, Adel Emefa Dogbe, Gregory Adjei Kumah, and Jerome Cudjoe.