This month, this series features the Nkyinkyim Museum, a dedicated space in Nuhalenya-Ada, Greater Accra, founded by Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo to preserve African history and heritage.

The museum uses griots, knowledgeable individuals trained to interpret and convey complex cultural facets, to decode the rich history, symbolism, traditional African religions, and philosophies depicted in its artworks. It aims to lead visitors on a journey towards healing and restorative justice, addressing the legacies of African enslavement and colonialism.

The Nkyinkyim Installation, an ongoing project by Akoto-Bamfo, focuses on enslaved Africans and was first publicly displayed in 2017 at Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s tomb. Post-Fauxreedom, the installation moved to Ussher Fort, a historical site that transformed from a slave fort to a prison. In 2017, the sculptures were part of “Portraits of the Middle Passage, In Situ,” a curated experience at Cape Coast Castle by Fulbright Scholar Danny Dunson. The sculptures were eventually relocated to their current home at the Nkyinkyim Museum, with a segment making a symbolic journey to The Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.

Source: Nkyinkyim Museum