White Cube New York presents, "A Spell of Good Things," the first solo exhibition in New York by acclaimed Ghanaian artist, Ibrahim Mahama. Through Mahama's striking installations, this exhibition unravels themes of physical labour, post-colonial challenges, and the reclamation of history.
Best known for his ambitious projects that often incorporate repurposed jute sacks, Mahama’s work reflects a deep engagement with materials that carry historical significance. He gathers objects abandoned in Ghana, particularly those from the post-colonial era, and transforms them into powerful installations that speak to both optimism and the failures of self-governance in the country.
The centrepiece of the exhibition, which shares its title with a contemporary novel by Ayòbámi Adébáyò, features a poignant installation composed of decrepit beds from the Tamale Teaching Hospital in Northern Ghana. These beds are juxtaposed with salvaged parts from decommissioned train carriages, creating a narrative that intertwines personal loss with broader socio-political commentary. Mahama inscribes the leather covers of the beds with the names of individuals who died at the hospital and those displaced by economic instability, illuminating the human cost of infrastructural decline.
In addition to the hospital beds, Mahama incorporates leather sourced from the remnants of the Gold Coast Railway, which was established during British colonial rule. This railway played a crucial role in the transportation of goods but also represented the exploitation of migrant labourers. The artist's use of these materials serves as a metaphor for the scars left by colonialism and the ongoing struggles faced by post-independence Ghana.
Mahama's work invites viewers to reconsider the narratives surrounding these materials, encouraging a dialogue about the potential for regeneration and empowerment through art. He sees his installations as vessels of hope, capable of transcending the bureaucratic failures that have plagued the region.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Mahama has created large charcoal drawings that document the labour involved in salvaging historical railway materials. These works visually connect the past with the present, emphasizing the physical and metaphorical burdens carried by those who navigate the complexities of Ghana's post-colonial landscape.
Exhibition Date: September 5 to October 26, 2024,
ABOUT IBRAHIM MAHAMA
Ibrahim Mahama was born in 1987 in Tamale, Ghana. He lives and works in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale. Solo exhibitions include Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (2024); Barbican Centre, London (2024); Kunsthalle Osnabrück, Germany (2023); Oude Kerk, Amsterdam (2022); Frac Pays de la Loire, France (2022); The High Line, New York (2021); University of Michigan Museum of Art (2020); The Whitworth, University of Manchester, UK (2019); Norval Foundation, Cape Town (2019); Tel Aviv Art Museum, Israel (2016); and K.N.U.S.T Museum, Kumasi, Ghana (2013). He has participated in numerous group exhibitions including Desert X AlUla, Saudi Arabia (2024); Sharjah Biennial 15, UAE (2023); 18th International Venice Architecture Biennale, Italy (2023); the 35th Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil (2023); Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas (2021); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2020); 22nd Biennale of Sydney, Australia (2020); Stellenbosch Triennale, South Africa (2020); 6th Lubumbashi Biennale, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2019); Ghana Pavilion, 58th Venice Biennale, Italy (2019); Documenta 14, Athens and Kassel, Germany (2017); Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University (2016); Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen and Holbæk, Denmark (2016); 56th Venice Biennale, Italy (2015); and Artist’s Rooms, K21, Düsseldorf, Germany (2015). Mahama was also appointed Artistic Director of the 35th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana (2023). In 2024, Mahama was selected for the inaugural Sam Gilliam Award by Dia and the Sam Gilliam Foundation, which includes the presentation of a public programme at Dia in autumn 2024.
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