Posnak, A. (2018). Sacred Ceramics: Investigating the production and significance of Ewe ritual ceramics in Ghana

 This article outlines the beginnings of a new study of the ritual ceramics of Ewe traditional religious practices in Ghana, which play a unique role in the visual expression of indigenous Ewe worldview and cosmology. Ritual ceramics are fundamental to indigenous religious practices of Ewe and are worthy of examination yet have not received significant attention from scholars. In African-Atlantic religion, handmade pottery is being usurped by commercial ware, but the tradition remains vibrant in Ghana. The author’s position as a practicing artist with experience in making pottery for African religious practitioners in the US, and 20 years studying West African and African Diaspora religions, give a unique perspective to this study.

Sacred Ceramics: Investigating the Production and Significance of Ewe Ritual Ceramics in Ghana

Brako, D. (2018). Re-examining digital effects in ‘Kumawood’ science fiction film titled 2016

 Digital technology and its impact across the world has influenced the use of digital effects in Ghanaian filmmaking, particularly Kumawood science fiction films. Most often, the use of digital effects in such films are only considered for showmanship. Meanwhile, the idea behind using special or digital effects is to create an illusion of reality, fantasy and believability. Also, the digital effects created in science fiction films should form part of the narrative. The study examined some digital effects used in 2016 (2010), a Kumawood science fiction film. The research employed a content analysis method. Specific scenes were selected from the film 2016 (released in 2010) and the digital effects discussed. The article in an attempt established that the use of digital effects created in some Kumawood science fiction films aimed at showmanship or a kind of exhibition. It is recommended that use of digital effects must form part of the narrative.

Re-examining Digital Effects in ‘Kumawood’ Science Fiction Film Titled 2016

Maclean, G. A. (2018). The roots of brass bands in Ghana: The premier brass band in Winneba

 The main purpose of the paper is to document the provenance, growth, achievements, challenges and prospects of the first brass band formed in Winneba – the Winneba Yamoahs Brass Band. Using interviews and document review, the paper traces events leading to the band’s formation, the birth of the band, growth and sustenance, recruitment and training of members, achievements, challenges and the prospects of the band which remained in oral context with early band members and owners of the band and thus risked being lost with the passage of time. Major findings from the study such as the circumstances leading to the formation of the band and achievements since its formation places the band as a pacesetter among brass bands in Winneba and recommends that an interest be taken in writing on similar bands or groups that have no written history yet.

The Roots of Brass Bands in Ghana: The Premier Brass Band in Winneba

Coffie, M. M. (2018). Bigshots Band’s ‘Too kɛ aduŋ’: A modern Ghanaian dance band highlife music

The superimposition of Western musical instruments on the conventional dance band highlife music has been the trend since its evolution around the 1950s. Despite Ghana’s monumental traditional instrumental resources, the dance band highlife tradition has not been able to break away from the colonising force of Western instruments. Too kɛ Aduŋ (goat & monkey), a highlife song by the Bigshots Band, however, is an exception to this trend. Traditional musical instruments such as gyile (xylophone), atenteben (bamboo flute), ŋoŋo (bell), shakashaka (rattle) and tsoŋshi drums (traditional palm drums) were featured prominently together with the Western instruments such as drum set, guitar, bass, keyboard synthesizers and horns in the song. This paper seeks to investigate the compositional resources and devices employed in Bigshots Band’s highlife song, too kɛ aduŋ, how they have been managed, and reasons for their inclusion in the body of work. The paper also discusses the arranging techniques employed in the song in the context of dance band highlife music, and some background to the influences that have shaped the song. A descriptive analysis of the song using the emic approach reveals a communal music participation, a concept found in African traditional drum music, where composite patterns are heard in integration and not as isolated units. The song also exemplifies a phenomenon of a proportional cross-cultural music fertilisation.

Bigshots Band’s ‘Too Kɛ Aduŋ’: A Modern Ghanaian Dance Band Highlife Music

Acquah, E. O. (2018). Analytical pursuit of C.W.K. Mereku’s ‘Asomdwee Hen’ operetta

This article aims to introduce and analyse C.W.K. Mereku’s Asomdwee Hen, an operetta, which has been the most performed African oriented musical drama in Ghana.The work which combines drama with music tells the story of the faith of Christians on the birth of Christ. The article does not only examine the African musical compositional features but pulls out the aesthetics of this traditional musical drama through musical analysis and delves to unearth the relevance of the work in the field of practical African musical drama composition. It concludes that the potential vivifying catalyst of the work is seen in the several artistic multicultural vicissitudes of thought, such as drum patterns, tonality, vocal style and language, submitted to the musical treatment by the composer. Asomdwee Hen is indeed a fundamental platform for the creation of African musical drama and pursuit of its aesthetics.

Analytical pursuit of C.W.K. Mereku’s ‘Asomdwee Hen’ operetta

Tsey, D. & Kemevor, A. K. (2018). Meaning of artefacts in Asogli Traditional Area: Views from residents

The creation and production of meaningful artefacts for trade and tourism is one way by which accelerated industrialisation could be achieved in Africa. This could first be realised through knowledge acquisition and skills development. The research sought to gather information about what residents in Asogli Traditional Area in the Volta Region of Ghana know about their own artefacts, and to identify interpretation challenges regarding them. The knowledge acquired from the results will guide artists and other creators of works of art and enable them to produce highly impressive pieces of artefacts that offer better understanding for the target audience. Questionnaire as a tool was employed for data gathering while the purposive sampling technique was adopted in the study. The research revealed that only 19.2% of residents understand the meaning of artefacts in Asogli because of lack of supporting literature and other forms of publicity. Most artefacts are practically seen as objects of decoration. It was, therefore, recommended that for the residents and the outside world to acquire knowledge on the artefacts, art and culture symposia should be organised frequently by the local authorities, and brochures or magazines showing pictures of the artefacts and their meanings should be published occasionally and distributed among residents, hotels and libraries for proper education, to generate the expected excitement among all.

Meaning of artefacts in Asogli Traditional Area: Views from residents

Okogwu, A. (2018). Reminiscing ‘the milk of Nigerian womanhood’ exhibition: Entrepreneurial marriage of art and tourism

This pro-feminist discourse attempts to appreciate the ‘Milk of Nigerian Womanhood’ which was the first International Art exhibition outing held in United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Deira, on the 24th– 26thApril 2012 by the Female Artists Association of Nigeria. This article is a report of The Milk of Nigerian Womanhood exhibition. It is hinged on qualitative narrative description mode of research. It stands on the tripod of Art, Tourism and Entrepreneurship. The main thrust of the article is art appreciation of the entries into the various specialized areas of art such as Ceramics, Bead Art, Sculpture, Textiles/Fashion, Painting, Graphic design, Film and Performance. Art, tourism and entrepreneurship are interlaced in the discourse.

Reminiscing ‘the milk of Nigerian womanhood’ exhibition: Entrepreneurial marriage of art and tourism

Donkor, E. K. (2018). Rejuvenating the junks: Exploring scrap metals as alternative materials for Ghanaian sculptors

The focus of this studio-based research is to transform scrap metals into aesthetic masterpiece of art. It is premised on the assumption that the intuitive technique of rejuvenating junks provides the freedom and flexibility to exercise creative expressions on a three dimensional level of art. This study therefore seeks to rejuvenate junks thereby analyzing scrap metals as alternative materials for Ghanaian sculptors. Having identified the aesthetic and artistic expressions of scrap metals, therefore, a piece of sculpture was created with scrap metals as means of establishing the viability of the materials as potential material for creation of sculpture with a story to tell. It also brings out the value of a composed scrap metal bull with different approaches, techniques and procedures as abound in the composition of the work.

Rejuvenating the junks: Exploring scrap metals as alternative materials for Ghanaian sculptors

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Damilola, E. F. & Abiola, M. T. (2018). Modes and significance of casting in the Nigerian theatre: Bolanle Austin-Peters’ ‘Saro’ and Felix Okolo’s ‘The Walking Stick’ in perspective

The concept of role-playing; auditions and the selection of artiste to play a part in a script is an exclusive decision making privilege reserved for a would-be producer, director, choreographer and or musicologist before a theatre production can be said to have taken place. However, poor or wrong casting has often been the bane of most highly speculated and perhaps well funded theatre productions in the past. In Nigeria for instance, this kind of artistic and managerial deficiency has often lead to decline in the patronage of the theatre. Unfortunately, there are little or no academic awareness in this direction. To bridge this gap therefore, this article takes a look at the casting modes and parameters employed in two selected productions in Nigeria with a special interest in analyzing the effects and significances of the choices made to the overall aesthetic contexts of the productions. The study is therefore highly qualitative and analytical as well as qualitative in nature. The study highlights factors ranging from height, skin color, diction, level of education, gender, age, star-profile, professionalism, shape/bodily size, artiste fee, budget, performance venue, etc, as common determining indices for the selection of actors in most Nigerian play productions. It cautioned against director’s personal desires and ambition as it reiterates that the choices made or not made do have far reaching effects on the overall evaluation of a production in ways that is better imagined.

Modes and significance of casting in the Nigerian theatre: Bolanle Austin-Peters’ ‘Saro’ and Felix Okolo’s ‘The Walking Stick’ in perspective

Bingah, P. (2018). The trilogy of love: Connecting the dots, re-enacting the love stories of Kofi Anyidoho and Atukwei Okai

This article explores the love stories in Kofi Anyidoho’s two love poems, namely Do not Give too much of your Love to me and Murmuring,connect them to Atukwei Okai’s love poem Rosimayaand hypothesizes that the poetic personae in these three poems unconsciously dialogue with one another. The article further posits that the three poems can be adapted and produced as a feature film or can be put on stage for dramatic performance.

The trilogy of love: Connecting the dots, re-enacting the love stories of Kofi Anyidoho and Atukwei Okai