Refashioned junk can qualify for high art: Ghanaian artist Mahama at pre-biennale talk

Kochi / December 2, 2025

Kochi, Dec 2: From abandoned railway infrastructure to colonial-era train carriages to even rotting jute-sacks, scrap can qualify as inputs for creative works, according to renowned African artist Ibrahim Mahama.

Imaginative minds can convert junk into thought-provoking installations that take up impactful subjects such as global trade and colonial exploitation, the Ghanaian noted at a ‘Let’s Talk’ session ahead of the upcoming Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB-6) where his artwork is nearing completion.

Art from such ‘waste’ can even convey messages about universal issues such as forced labour, migration and even the extractive economy that continues to burden African nations, Mahama told a gathering at RLV College of Music & Fine Arts in suburban Trippunithura.

Citing his own efforts, the 38-year-old artist spoke of certain critically-acclaimed notable installations that transformed decommissioned rail coaches into educational spaces at his studio-campus in Tamale of Ghana’s Northern Region. Each such instance underlined how colonial-era infrastructure, which was originally a tool for extraction, gets reclaimed for the local community and their memory as well as learning.

In his two-hour interaction on Monday evening, Mahama explained how his art sought to throw light on histories of injustice such as labour exploitation and the economic consequences of extractive industries. He also spoke of ways to convert them into narratives of resilience, healing and collective consciousness.

Mahama’s dialogue with students explored how installations can embody politics, memory and identity, showing art not just as aesthetic expression, but as a powerful tool for social critique and transformation. The lecture was followed by a lively question-and-answer session between the artist and the students.

KMB-6, which is curated by Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces, Goa, will be a 110-day festival beginning from December 12. It is organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), which is a 2010-registered charitable trust.

KBF Director of Programmes Mario D’Souza said Mahama continues to engage with young minds through his work and materials besides transformative pedagogical frameworks. “Treating art becomes a fundamental process of collective learning, his commitment to workshops, open conversations and experimental education reminds us that creativity and socio-political awareness grow when people build knowledge together,” he noted. “In Mahama’s vision, the work at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale as well turns into a space to ask questions and test ideas from temporary communities and harbour new possibilities.”

ENDS

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