The Department of Industrial Art, Ceramic Section at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has hosted an art exhibition exploring complexities, contradictions, and emotional landscapes of human existence.
The exhibition, spearheaded by Professor Samuel Nortey, is under the theme: “Metaphors of Life”.
The event brought together ceramic works by students that embodied powerful symbolic elements such as power, autonomy, focus, peace, history, music, family continuation, and personal experiences such as challenges and successes.
The pieces reflected on the notion that life is not merely about the destination, but the multitude of experiences, transformations, and encounters that shape our existence.
“In this show, we explore our own journey of life and remind ourselves that destination is not the only goal,” the exhibition’s summary read. “Life brings rich experiences that must be shared through a gaze or an engagement.”
Using both mechanized and unmechanized processes, students manipulated similar materials to produce works that varied widely in outcome, some cracked, some shattered, others smooth or pitted with pinholes.
These outcomes served as metaphors for life’s unpredictability and diversity of human experience. The works extended beyond traditional forms to include musical influences, with installations reflecting how rhythm and sound symbolize emotional complexity and the rise and fall of life itself.
Professor Nortey emphasized the importance of allowing students to channel their narratives into artistic expression.
“After teaching for a very long time, you realize life presents so many challenges and how to overcome them through our practice,” he said. “I brought together students to share their own narratives of what they’ve experienced so far.”
The exhibition also coincided with the visit of faculty and students from the University of Arkansas, part of an ongoing partnership between the two institutions. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the University of Arkansas supports KNUST ceramic students with scholarships for master’s programs and opportunities for international internships.
Professor Jeannie Hulen, Professor of Art and Ceramics at the University of Arkansas, praised the depth and global relevance of Ghanaian art.
“It’s been amazing. I think Ghana has so much to offer the world,” she said. “We’ve had over 20 KNUST students go to the United States and get MFA degrees, many of them are now professors and emerging artists. It’s just amazing. You go to a national conference, and it’s all about Ghana now.”
Professor Hulen, along with her husband and fellow faculty member Adam Posnak, has been mentoring KNUST students since 2015. She expressed hope for expanded studio spaces and resources for the department, noting its growing international recognition.
“They are internationally known now, so they should be given what they deserve with the work they are producing,” she said.
