As part of efforts to connect academic learning with the realities of the global art world, the Department of Painting and Sculpture, in collaboration with blaxTARLINES, hosted an art talk for students and faculty.
According to Professor Edwin Kwesi Bodjawah, Dean of the Department of Painting and Sculpture, the initiative invites curators, artists, gallery owners, museum directors, art collectors, and art historians to share their insights and experiences with students.
“These sessions are designed not only to educate but to inspire the next generation of creatives and position them on equal foot with their global counterparts. We do not want to live in silos anymore where a sculptor only engages with sculpture, or a painter only with painting. Art is now interdisciplinary.” he explained.
Delivering the lecture, Chris Dercon, Former Director of Tate Morden-London called on art institutions especially those in the West to confront their colonial pasts, reject superficial narratives of global unity, and embrace complexity.
“Today, we talk about global unity ‘We are the world’ but we must reject this illusion. The world is fragmented, and we must learn to be precise about our differences. Africanism, hybridity, even modernity are not spectacles. They are struggles, rooted in pain, pride, and perspective” he stated.
He emphasised the influence of Jamaican-born cultural theorist Stuart Hall, whom he described as a “true father figure.” According to him, Hall’s ideas on hybridity, identity, and postcolonial critique shaped his worldview. He also advised the audience to return to the original writings of thinkers like Stuart Hall rather than relying on superficial interpretations.
He also highlighted the importance of revisiting foundational movements like Nkrumah’s consciencism and other historical art revolutions and encouraged students to create awareness of their cultural and political environment.
“There is never a perfect time, we must always go back and forth between past, present, and future. And sometimes, you will have to travel alone. But that’s where real change begins.” he said.
Mr. Dercon critiqued the shortcomings of Western art institutions in acknowledging the complexities of global art histories and noted that they often portray Eurocentric narratives while sidelining diverse voices. He stressed the urgent need to “change the canon” by including Western perspectives and making space for historically marginalized artists from Africa and the diaspora.
