Ghana

Amplify

Chrissa Amuah (Textile Designer) and Alice Asafu-Adjaye (Architect), both of dual Ghanaian-British nationality, practice in London and Accra respectively. Through 'Amplify' they combine their insights and perspectives on art and design to represent Ghana at the London Design Biennale 2021, at Somerset House, London.

In response to the exhibition’s theme, their collaboration explores the conversation between Ghana and two of its former colonial rulers, Britain and Denmark, over four centuries. A site-specific concept; the architecture and 450-year history of Somerset House provide the perfect foil for the project. It is an exploration of what might have been.

The exhibit will explore and manipulate; materials, space, light and textures, provoking an evolution of attitudes and ideology. 'Amplify' will suggest an equilibrium of environmental and cultural sensitivity that resonates with the 21st century. The concept expands through and beyond creativity, forcing us to reconsider the value of conceptual and socio-economic equilibrium. 'Amplify'  holds both historic and future relevance in the West and the Global South.

Inspired by this prestigious venue, the Ghana design team has delved into Somerset House’s own history. The discoveries from which, have resulted in the decision to make Amplify a site-specific concept. In 1603 Anne of Denmark, wife of James I of England, moved to Somerset House, and it was renamed Denmark House in her honour. Once in England, she threw her energy into patronage of the arts, creating a cultural salon that attracted leading painters, writers and thinkers. In 1609, she invited Inigo Jones and other architects, to redesign and rebuild parts of the palace. The work continued until her death in 1619. She was said to be an assertive, independent and dynamic patron of the arts who constructed a magnificent court. Anne of Denmark's focus on nurturing the arts, at Somerset House, existed in a thriving socio-cultural European economy.

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Photography: Ed Reeve

Photography: Ed Reeve

Credits

Designers

Chrissa Amuah, Alice Asafu-Adjaye

Supported by

Afreximbank

2021 Exhibitors

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