VETERAN artist Ablade Glover measures spaces on a canvas with a palette knife, then dabs on vibrant blue paint while the morning light pours into his Accra studio. The 84-year-old artist, educator and founder of the Artists Alliance Gallery in Ghana’s capital has won national and international recognition for his work. He set up the gallery 25 years ago and moved it to its current location, a three-storey building on the beachfront 11 years ago. The premises are open to the public, offering local people and tourists the chance to see contemporary art, mostly from Ghana itself. When Glover started out, there was little support for local artists and most needed to hold down day jobs to make a living. But in recent years there has been a huge swing. More artists are making a living from their work as a result of galleries like Glover’s, festivals, collectors and art professionals.

One of Glover’s works hangs in Seth Dei’s private gallery in Accra. Dei, a businessman, has been an avid supporter of Ghanaian artists for several decades. He said he would much rather have a painting by a Ghanaian in his living room than a Picasso. Dei started collecting local art in 1993 and says, at that time, artists were not well-supported. He did what he could to help, buying art and encouraging the artists to keep producing. “It got to a point where artists would come and say, ‘I painted this and I think you should have it in your collection’,” he said. “Even if I didn’t have money I would pay it off, little by little.” As a result, he saw the careers of Wiz Kudowor, Larry Otoo and Kofi Setordji build up to the point where they have international reputations.

The increasing popularity of Ghanaian art is a double-edged sword, for a lot of it has left the country, as expatriates or companies buy works. Glover said he wants to see a public institution invest in keeping work in Ghana for Ghanaians to appreciate, hoping the government will step in and create a national art museum. While both he and Dei have their spaces to exhibit they are keen for the government to take a similar interest. Both say creating a national art gallery would be a good place to start.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2019