Western Conceptual Art and Ghanaian Film Meet in Doug Fishbone's Elmina Photography Exhibition

Running parallel to his groundbreaking feature-length film, Elmina, the American-born London-based artist Doug Fishbone's new photography exhibition at Rokeby gallery in London "investigates a range of questions about art, relativity, race and globalization whilst examining ideas of representation”.

The film, showing at Tate Britain until 3 January, is essentially a classic West African style movie featuring a professional Ghanaian cast except for Fishbone (a self described “white guy from New York”) who plays a part that would normally have been performed by a Ghanaian actor. According to the artist, he was “basically plunking myself in a Ghanian melodrama” and assuming the lead role with no mention that he was “the odd man out”. Fully adopting the conventions of popular Ghanaian filmmaking and taking advantage of the low cost structure of the Ghanaian home video industry, the results are stark and provocative. 

Equally provocative are the effects of Fishbone's corresponding still photography exhibition. Shot on location in Ghana, during the filming of Elmina the exhibition examines the relationship between still photography and cinema whilst exploring the narrative paradox and enigmas of the film while connecting two vastly different cultural situations: Western conceptual art and the African home video market.

Elmina by Doug Fishbone opens Thursday the 25^th of November and runs until the 15^th of January 2011 at Rokeby, 5-9 Hatton Wall, London, EC1N 8HX. For more details visit www.rokebygallery.com.

 

New Colleagues From Ghana, by Joseph Bbirikadde

It's been busy times for the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership (CCP) in Ghana. There's plenty going on and new faces in the office too. Here's the latest on who's who, from our correspondent in Ghana, the venerable Mr Joseph Bbirikadde... 

Benjamin Manu and Hope Wordu have joined the Partnership Coordination Unit of the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership in Ghana. 

Benjamin (pictured above) is Programme Manager for Community Development, so he is in charge of VSO and Care Communities. He has a wealth of experience in project management and previously held the position of Country Coordinator, for the Network for Improvement of Health, in Ghana. 

Hope (pictured above) joins us as Programme Manager for Extension and Environment. Extension services are key to increasing cocoa productivity. Before joining us at the CCP, Hope worked at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana, and Africert. 

Benjamin and Hope recently went on a familiarisation tour in Asunafo North and Amansie West, visiting 35 communities. These areas are looked after by CARE International, a CCP implementing partner. The purpose of the tour was to gain a better appreciation of the CCP communities, and help shape the way they work with community stakeholders at CARE International. 

I asked Benjamin and Hope what they would love to see happen by the end of the CCP project. They had the following to say: 

Benjamin Manu said that he aspires to see communities own and lead their own development, which is in full alignment with the CCP strategic plan. 

Hope Wordu said it was his dream to see a tremendous change in the lives of cocoa farmers, through increased productivity in a sustainable environment. He also wants to see more young people employed in the cocoa industry in Ghana.