The knowledge of art and drawing was widely spread in Ghana when Akora Kofi Antubam used the arts to tell rich African tales.
Born in 1922 to the family of Maame and Nana Mensah, His father died when Antubam was young; thereafter, his uncle took him to Kumasi to start his education.
He later spent some time in Jos, Nigeria, and also at Adisadel College. It was while at Adisadel College that he was encouraged to develop his craft.
He started off by molding clay and emerged as a trailblazing figure in the development of modern art in Ghana.
His artistic journey commenced during his formative years, notably shaped by his education at Achimota School in the Gold Coast during the 1930s.
This institution, recognized for its commitment to merging modern and African art, profoundly influenced Antubam’s artistic perspective.
Sharing his achievement, renowned historian and lawyer Yaw Anokye Frimpong said Antubam’s artistic career unfolded against the backdrop of Ghana’s quest for independence and a cultural renaissance.
He said Antubam was the master of art who made Ghanaians aware of how the indigenous farmers led their lives.
According to Anokye, Antubam designed a family coming from a farm where a child is in front, a woman is following with foodstuffs on her head, and a man is at the back holding his pistol and farm tools.
That painting, he explained, depicted that the man was the one protecting the family to draw men’s minds to being responsible towards their family.
Anokye said that in the 1950s, Antubam developed various works of art and craft, including Nkrumah’s presidential mace and chair and various state-commissioned relief mural carvings.
“He introduced a swearing by sword, and he designed the indigenous sword that Nkrumah used in swearing in as president, as opposed to the widely known Bible and Quran swearing-in used by many countries,” he said.
In 1963, he published Ghana’s Heritage of Culture, a book that treats Ghana’s contribution to the world of art and the medium Antubam used to make a case for national art that represents Ghana’s political and cultural history.
Despite his diverse roles, his passion for carving and drawing remained steadfast, leading him to pursue an apprenticeship at the Block and Leo Wald Sculpture, Pottery, and Plastics Foundry in Jeppe, Johannesburg.
Antubam’s influence extended beyond his artistic creations, leaving an indelible mark on the Ghanaian art scene after his death in 1964.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
