AMARTEY GOLDING; THE ALLURE OF MYTH MAKING
By Nii B. Andrews
Throughout human history, myths have enabled us to understand the complexities of life.
Myths are different from legends and every culture or society has its store of myths.
They function as a meta-language; a timeless language that often bridges cultures and traditions.
Amartey Golding has proven himself quite adept at crafting this meta-language and utilising it to conflate nationalities, regionalism and ethnicities.
His work sometimes even harks to the future.
Golding stated, “I am trying to write mythologies for the new nomads.
Mythologies that are not linked to a given geographical space or cultural influence.
(I am trying to write) for a transient and interconnected globalized generation, where cultural lines are blurred”.
His work is unabashedly contemporary; he does not update the myths from previous millenia.
Instead, he reinvents them for our current epoch and utilizes images from pop culture, the internet and movies.
We therefore not only get an explanation of where we have come from and why; but Golding even suggests to us where we are headed.
And it is scary and unsettling….especially for us, the new nomads.
Golding with the set of images shown here in this post, introduces us to the fictional world of Gabosia – where Gabos is the antagonist in a long and complicated story that Golding began fabricating after the death of his father.
Gabos is an egotistical, back-stabbing anti-hero charged with overseeing the land of Gabosia.
But when there is a crisis, he cares only for himself and lets others suffer.
His exact opposite is a man known only as The Seed Collector who, when drought strips the land of sustenance, sacrifices his own body to fertilise the soil while the tears of the women irrigate it.
If you do have problems understanding or deciphering the story of Gabosia, may I respectfully suggest that you discuss it with your parliamentarian.
His insight is bound to be remarkable.
NBA, Hope all is well.
I have not been in this space for a while but oh boy – what great pieces you have here.
The piece on The iconic gentleman is very spot on. Then the one on local architecture.
And for this season of the year I can definitely identify with Golding’s Seed Collector who sacrifices himself /herself for the benefit of all.
And most importantly the sacrifice yields fruit when watered by the tears of others.
Would that our Honourable parliamentarians and office bearers understand this.
Thanks and Ayekoo!
Thanks for your support, BK
Have a great day.