By Nii B. Andrews.
The mood on Tuesday night, September 8, at the well appointed LA Foundation for the Arts (LAFA) was upbeat and elegant.
Just about 100 invited guests had assembled to see and discuss the work of Marigold Akufo Addo whose extraordinary art practice spanned close to six decades.
Abena Busia commenced the proceedings at about 7.30 pm. She – an avid collector, recounted her long friendship with Marigold and her personal observations about Marigold’s output.
Their interactions included unannounced visits to the artist’s Kokomlemle studio where she would be so engrossed in her work rendering her totally oblivious to her friend’s presence.
This afforded Abena Busia the chance to observe at close quarters the painstaking attention to detail and intricate craft required in creating the numerous minute, colored and variegated shapes that often formed the background to the paintings.
Busia intimated that this was a labor of love which took an exacting physical and emotional toll on her friend.
She acknowledged Marigold’s seminal role as a ground breaking artist and cultural advocate while paying glowing tribute to her with a moving poem specially written for the evening.
Further convincing testimonies to her unflagging commitment as a female trailblazer with a powerful voice and brush were presented by her daughter and director of LAFA, Safoa; and Dr. Senam Okudzeto whose piece was read by Dokua a niece of Marigold Akufo Addo.
In his presentation NBA drew attention to the ubiquitous presence of the grid in Marigold’s work, and the frequent occurrence of two animal motifs – the falcon and hornbill.
The grid he suggested, represents the organization of the universe, fundamental order and duality – the balance of the cosmos, the twins of creation.
It also references weaving; the crossing of threads forming yet another grid which in indigenous African thought is analogous to the spoken word arising out of the gift of human language and consciousness; simply put, Order out of Chaos.
And of course the creation or imposition of order also references agriculture or cultivated order continued with adequate food storage and food security, an important pillar of stability in any society.
Here there can be no glossing over the circumstances of the Dogon granary and its compartmentalized grid that holds the 8 grains of creation.
Clearly, Marigold in her work has delved into the treasure trove of indigenous African thought derived from the early West African civilizations followed by the systematic mass migrations.
She has done so in order to provide cues and interpret the present while providing guidance for the future.
Here again, the grid offers further lessons; it is the template used by indigenous Dogon priests to map potential futures; a means to decode the unpredictable and chaotic turns and cycles of nature into legible cosmic answers.
Should we then go so far as seeing Marigold’s artistic role as a jackal or pale fox, that is a courier of messages for the future?
Before we write off that perspective completely, her painting DALABANI LAST DANCE AT BOBO DILIASOO has no grid in it. It only has ethereal figures in earth tones to commemorate that seismic historical event, the effects of which are still being felt today in the Sahel and beyond.
But her use of the falcon and hornbill point us to her resilient hope in Africa and the triumph of good over evil.
The falcon – the symbol for Horus from ancient Egypt points to divine protection, royal power and the rising sun: higher vision, intense focus and decisive action.
The hornbill aka the “flying banana”, the only bird with eyelashes reminds us of divine communication, lifelong loyalty and fertility.
Perhaps it is such perseverance, fortitude and knowledge manifested not only through her art but in her daily life that has earned her the prestigious traditional royal position of ABREWATIA, a queen mother in the Akuapem area.
What followed this presentation was over two dozen technically superb slides of art work from the Marigold Akufo Addo portfolio interspersed with her biographical details all thoughtfully compiled by William Soehene.
The colors of the grid reflecting the Amazigh heritage came through; green for the mountains, blue for the sea, yellow for the desert and red for the upright man/ woman.
The best examples were THE MAGHREB IS PAVED IN COUSCOUS (2011), SAHARA (2022) and SAHARA IV ( 2023),
In NAASEHENE KING OF MANY COLORS, the falcon is in focus right in the middle of a grid with Amazigh flag colors.
FALCON – SELF TAKE OFF ( 1975) depicts the iconic bird in full flight with an ankh in tow.
Curiously, the grid disappears in the works KWAEBIBRIMHENE NANANOM III (2010) and DALABANI THE LAST DANCE AT BOUBO DIALLASSO (1971-1972); is the former a terse but still unheeded warning about the tragic consequences of the galamsey menace?
The cumulative effect of the compositions, colors and textures on the series of canvases; her brief but profound answers to questions during the ensuing Q and A period were ample proof that we were in the presence of a highly disciplined, thoughtful and innovative master of her craft.