Gallery 1957, Accra are pleased to announce a solo booth by the award-winning Ivorian photographer and mixed media artist Joana Choumali at Unseen Amsterdam from 20-22 September 2019. Presenting new work from her Alba’hian series, Choumali will also participate in Unseen Amsterdam’s curated section Woven Matters – a group exhibition that explores the use of textiles in photography. Woven Matters sees a duo presentation from Choumali and Zohra Opoku where the two artists’ work connects to their personal histories as well as a larger conceptualisation of the African diaspora through the use of textiles.
In the series ‘Alba’hian’ – meaning ‘the first light of day’ in the Agni language of the Akan group in Co?te d’Ivoire – the artist meditates on the cityscape during the time and processes of dawn. For the new works on display at Unseen Amsterdam, Choumali expands on this series, presenting photographs of Abidjan, Accra and Dakar. Choumali intimately surveys the land around her, observing landscapes, the shapes of buildings and objects that slowly reveal themselves in the early hours of the morning.
About Joana Choumali
Joana Choumali, born in 1974, is visual artist and photographer based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. She studied graphic arts in Casablanca, Morocco and worked as an art director in an advertising agency before embarking on her photography career. She works mainly on conceptual portraits, mixed media and documentary photography. Much of her work focuses on Africa, and what she, as an African, learns about the innumerable cultures around her.
Choumali has exhibiting internationally including at the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden, Marrakech; the Vitra Design Museum, Basel; Zeitz Mocaa Museum of Contemporary Arts, Capetown and Lagos Photo Festival. In 2017, she exhibited her series ‘Translation’ and ‘Adorn’ at the Pavilion of the Ivory Coast during the 57th Venice International Biennale. Her book HAABRE, was published and edited in Johannesburg in 2016.
Choumali’s recent series ‘ça va aller’ (2016-2019) is shortlisted for the Prix Pictet. The theme for its eighth cycle is ‘Hope’ and the winner will be announced at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London on 13 November 2019.
About Gallery 1957
Gallery 1957 presents leading artists working across West Africa and the diaspora.
Launched by Marwan Zakhem on Ghana Independence Day, 2016, Gallery 1957 has since expanded across two gallery spaces within Accra, dedicating its programme to spearheading international exchanges between contemporary West African art practices and the rest of the world.
Presenting a programme of exhibitions, installations and performances by the region’s most significant artists, Gallery 1957 bridges the gap between local and international audiences. Beyond its roster of diverse artists and exhibitions, global gallery partnerships and the establishment of the artist residency programme have welcomed many international artists and arts professionals to Ghana, encouraging them to engage further with the country’s rich contemporary art scene.
Gallery 1957’s work expands beyond the gallery walls through a public programme that includes fairs, talks, off-site projects and site-specific installations commissions – continuously supporting cultural initiatives in Ghana, and beyond.
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