Manhyia Palace and UNESCO to Honour Artists
The Manhyia Palace, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will be recognizing the contribution of ten distinguished African artists.
The Asantehene Art Awards will be held at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on May 23.
The event is the beginning of a ten-year project to recognise industrial leaders in the country and to inspire a new generation of practitioners including those in the digital arts.
The 2025 Inaugural Artist Laureates which is dubbed, OurOld Masters, are being so honoured for their lifetime influence of African art practice and history and will attract policy makers and art patrons from the Republic of Benin, Nigeria and an official delegation from the Republic of Seychelles.
Also expected at the event are the UNESCO and the European Union Ambassador to Ghana HE Irchad Razaaly and envoys from ten embassies.
The selected artists to be honoured are the founder of the Artists Alliance Gallery in Accra and former Dean of the College of Art at the Kumasi Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Professor Ablade Glover; the last Dean of the College before it was re-named College of Art and Built Environment, Professor Ato Delaquis as well as the metallurgy artist and one of Time magazine’s 2023 100 Most Influential People who was also a former Professor and Head of Fine and Applied Arts Department of the University of Nsukka in Nigeria, El Anatsui.
The others are the innovator and sculptor, Francis Kwatei Nee-Owoo of Touch of Bronze; the gallerist, Frances Ademola of The Loom; the folklore princess, painter, collector and author, Peggy Appiah; the public artist, Kwame Akoto in Kumasi; founder of the Sirigu Women Organization for Pottery and Art in the Upper East, Melanie Kasise; the Manhyia Palace royal artist, Nana Amponsah Dwumfuor of Nsoase and the Ghanatta College of Art and Design in Accra.
It may be recalled that Otumfuo hinted at this initiative at the Asante Regalia Homecoming and Photo Exhibition, dubbed, “Homecoming, Adversity and Commemoration”, an event to mark the return of some Asante crafts looted from the Palace of an Asante King, on May 1, 2024.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
