Visual Artist Godfried Donkor
Thanks to Design Museum we now know about Godfried Donkor a visual artist from Ghana. Here is a brief history of Ghana as it relates to the works of Nubian King Mr. Donkor.
"According to historian Eric Williams, for example, Europe abolished the trans-Atlantic slave trade only because its profitability was undermined by the Industrial Revolution. Williams argued that mass unemployment caused by the new industrial machinery, the need for new raw materials, and European competition for markets for finished goods are the real factors that brought an end to the trade in human cargo and the beginning of competition for colonial territories in Africa. Other scholars, however, disagree with Williams, arguing that humanitarian concerns as well as social and economic factors were instrumental in ending the African slave trade.
By the latter part of 19th century the Dutch and the British were the only traders left and after the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a protectorate--a British Crown Colony. During the next few centuries parts of the area were controlled by British, Portuguese, and Scandinavian powers, with the British ultimately prevailing. These nation-states maintained varying alliances with the colonial powers and each other, which resulted in the 1806 Ashanti-Fante War, as well as an ongoing struggle by the Empire of Ashanti against the British, the four Anglo-Asante Wars.
By the early 19th century, the British, acquired most of the forts along the coast. Two major factors laid the foundations of British rule and the eventual establishment of a colony on the Gold Coast: British reaction to the Asante wars and the resulting instability and disruption of trade, and Britain's increasing preoccupation with the suppression and elimination of the slave trade." - Wikipedia
Now that you have an idea of the involvement of the dutch and british in colonialism as it relates to Ghana. We feel you will have a better understanding of why Mr. Donkor chose to express certain images the way that he did or at least the foundation he may have gathered from.
"The Madonna series was inspired by the glamour and music culture during a residency in Trinidad and Tobago. Most of the models are local and are part of the ongoing religion of ’carnival’.
Godfried Donkor’s collages fuse symbols of the eighteenth-century slave trade with images of contemporary Trinidadian glamour girls, set against a backdrop of pages from the Financial Times. Donkor, who was born in Ghana but now lives in London, juxtaposes these incongruous elements as a means of scrutinising themes of capitalism, globalisation and liberation. His luscious and alluring ’black madonnas’ emerge, phoenix-like from below the decks of the lithographed slave ships, in a triumphantly brazen, carnival-like celebration of human endurance.
The featured boxers series are life size paintings of 18th and 19th century pugilists whose sporting exploits and lifestyle inspired the folklore and mythology of their time and profession. These were some of the earliest heroes to capture the public’s imagination. Sourced from archival illustrations and photos, the fighters are painted on a background of figures and text taken from the Financial Times newspaper. Donkor has always been fascinated by the sporting culture and mythology associated with this art form which can be found in all societies ." - AfroNova
Godfried Donkor featured on African Success and GhanaWeb
If you are interested in commissioning Mr. Donkor contact him
*Profile Image and all other images courtesy of AfroNova*
