Afrogallonism returns to Brighton for Festival

A new collection of Clottey’s distinctive Afrogallonism sculptures, fashioned from large yellow jerry cans, will be displayed in his Current Affairs exhibition at Fabrica, Brighton’s Contemporary Art Space from 18 April to 27 May.

The university’s Professor Marina Novelli will also contribute to a panel discussion on the role of arts in community development, which is to be co-hosted by Fabrica and the University of Brighton’s Responsible Futures Research and Enterprise agenda.

The yellow plastic jerry cans Clottey uses for his art were originally imported into Ghana from Europe – but they have often been repurposed as water carriers amid Ghana’s water shortages.

As time went by, the cans began to be disposed of carelessly in communities, which became a big sanitation issue. Clottey transforms the discarded cans into public art installations. With his Afrogallonism project, he seeks to create a sustainable model for local environmental awareness as well as economic and social development.

Of the university’s collaboration with Clottey, Marina said: “I am absolutely delighted to see how fast the partnership between Clottey and the University of Brighton’s Responsible Futures’ team has evolved since I first visited him in his studio in Accra, Ghana, in April 2018. What he does is incredibly inspiring.”

The artist’s partnership with the University of Brighton has seen him visit the university to give a multi-media performance and talk and put on an interactive workshop for staff and students in October 2018.

Professor Novelli added: “I am delighted that Serge Attukwei Clottey will be returning to Brighton, exhibiting as a solo artist at Fabrica as part of Brighton Festival 2019. It will be a great honour for me to join him on a panel discussion and share thoughts on the role of arts in community development, which will no doubt provide food for thought for many.”

Liz Whitehead, Fabrica Director, said: “Serge Attukwei Clottey’s pieces are both very beautiful and politically charged, touching on the global issues of plastic waste and access to basic services like running water, while proposing new models for sustainable economic development through their creative production at the artist’s studio.

“At this time of deep austerity in the UK, looking at how artists sustain themselves and their communities seems to be an incredibly useful thing to do. Through this exhibition we’ll be looking at Clottey’s uniquely West African model of working, and asking ourselves what we can learn and how we can do things differently.”

Brighton Festival 2019 is guest directed by Malian musician Rokia Traore, whose interest in the historical relationship between West Africa and Europe is reflected in Clottey’s work, which explores themes of trade, migration and colonialism.