African art is a good investment. New World Map by El Anatsui, a Ghanaian artist recently appointed as the first African Royal Academician, sold in 2012 for £541,250, a record for contemporary African art. The works of the late Nigerian painter are also fetching hundreds of thousands, while Ghana’s Ablade Glover, who had a recent solo retrospective at the October Gallery in London, has long gained acclaim internationally. And of course, Ghana’s now famous “coffin art” has understandably captured attention throughout the world; works can be seen in the British Museum in London
Yet locally, the art scene is only just beginning to get off the ground. This has been disappointing to some, although others have seen it as an opportunity – quality is getting better all the time. If you’re looking to purchase, aim for those works that aren’t mere copycats. Commercial galleries in Accra are great places to pick up quality art at a decent price. One new gallery, which also offers a “consultation service”, is Tiga African Art – it’s a good place to buy paintings and, not so commonly, sculptures. Loom Gallery owner Frances Ademola, doyenne of Accra’s art scene for decades, has been spotting emerging artists in Ghana for more than 40 years. She cites Gabriel Eklou, Gordon Amponsah, Seth Clottey and his eldest son Serge Clottey as the artists to watch out for. Samuel Agbenyegah (also known as Samkobee) is also a young and highly-regarded artist. “He came to me when he was 12 with two wonderful paintings,” explains Ademola. “I said ‘who did these?’ He said ‘me’. I didn’t believe him and told him to go and do another one. He came back with four more.”
The biggest gallery in Ghana is the Artists Alliance, founded by Ablade Glover. Everything on its walls is for sale. The Aid to Artisans shop, also in the same building, is a great place to pick up crafts, as is Joe’s Perspective, which sells beautiful bespoke art commissioned and designed by Kukua Ampah. If you dare take on the touts, meanwhile, you’ll also find a bargain at the Arts Centre. If you head towards the back of the centre, you’ll find the most interesting stuff. Finally, you’re assured of seeing something wonderful at the Nubuke Foundation. It works towards an admirable cause and is one of the principal advocates of Ghanaian art
