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Residency

Serigraphy: A photographer's printmaking exploration.
10th June, 2021 —   7th January, 2022
Yellow Mesh Studios  
Hse Nº 84 
Bulemi - Gbawe 
Accra




Akutso Residencies, with the assistance of Yellow Mesh Studios, sought to provide Ofoe Amegavie with a suitable environment for researching and experimenting with printmaking techniques, specifically serigraphy, to complement his project, Between Sand and Water.

Between Sand and Water is an ongoing photo project by Ofoe Amegavie, highlighting climate change and its effects on the coast of Ada. The project seeks to highlight the resilience of coastal communities and their efforts in mitigating its impacts.

Ada-Foah and Keta are neighboring fishing towns located on either side of the Volta Delta, situated on Ghana's coast, where the Volta meets the Atlantic ocean. The area is home to essential mangroves and other aquatic cultures which the communities depend on. The photos show the communities of Azizanya, Azizakpe and Kewuno, which are located close to Ada-Foah.

aerial view of Azizakpe community


Shoreline erosion and subsequent flooding have caused damage to homes, infrastructure and general way of life. The communities adopted resilient but unsustainable mitigation and adaptation measures to protect their homes, such as building walls and landfilling using the rubbish gathered in the community during the high tide. In other places such as Wasakuse and Anyanui, the community members are engaging in mangrove restoration projects to help restore the ecosystems that were diminishing due to human activities such as mangrove harvesting for firewood.

The residency began on the 10th of June 2021 to the 7th of January 2022, when we drew the final curtain of the pilot Residency.

It started with feasibility studies and image selection. During the feasibility study, Ofoe established the reason for selecting serigraphy as a viable printing technique for this project. The reason was to experiment with serigraphy prints on fabrics as an archival medium for community storytelling due to their ability to withstand harsher weather conditions.

During the image selection stage, Ofoe and project directors for both Akutso and Yellow Mesh Studio analyzed images based on themes and technical features like contrast and tonal balance.
 
Image selection and feasibility studies at the premises of Yellow Mesh Studios


There was a halftone study based on image resolution, contrast and tonal details. A hypothesis was established that the higher the resolution, the more rounded the halftone—the lower the resolution, the squarer the halftone due to the pixelation of the image.

Halftone study 


The residency ended with making a 210” x 100” print for the abala.

Closeup of the abala






Post-Residency
Exhibition

Curated by Annertey




Between Sand & Water; Sunken Lands





‘Between Sand & Water; Sunken Lands' is a continuation of a photo project that highlights climate change, its causes, effects and a community's resilience along the coast of Ada. This is done by delving into the past and juxtaposing it with the present to show the real-time effects of climate change. In addition, it explores the relationship between the people, the sea and the land.

Aerial landscape of Anyanui mangrove


The exhibition space consists of two pieces; an abala and then a display of landscape images on a two-set table forming the second piece.

The first piece features an abala also known as canopy fig 1. The concept of an abala is a representation of a community, and it is a communal space where fisherfolks sit under to mend their broken nets and engage in various interactions, such as regular redeposits of sand along canoe routes. The abala is a selection of collaged serigraphs completed throughout the residency. It consisted of 20 individual 46.8" x 33.1" negative screens.

The final work is that of over 30 stitched aerial landscapes of parts of Ada Foah to Azizakpe island and printed on upcycled bedsheets stitched together. Juxtaposed in the form of stitched prints on the abala are immemorial portraits taken in a community that no longer exists on the map due to coastal erosion.

closeup of immemorial portrait


The abala's legs were made from repurposed bamboo stems. This piece will continuously serve the community as a communal space, specifically for fisherfolk, beyond the exhibition.

fig 1 - Piece 1 layout


The second is a selection of landscape images on a table set fig 2. Content selection for this display was made during the one face of the feasibility study during the residency. It was based on some causes of global warming within the community, its effects and the community's resistance to rebuilding. These two pieces are arranged such that they have a direct interaction with each other fig 3.

fig 2- Piece 2 layout

fig 3 - Post-Residency Exhibition set
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