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Article: Artists advertising themselves: contemporary studio facades in Ghana.(photo essay)
- Article from:
- African Arts
- Article date:
- September 22, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Regents of the University of California. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Although mechanically reproduced, electronically illuminated signs commonly proclaim corporate identities in modern Ghana, hand-painted signs are still the primary means for advertising small businesses. The urban landscapes of Ghana are visually punctuated with signs promoting everything from boutiques, barber shops, and beauty salons to locksmiths, lotto vendors, and communication services. Nevertheless, the most stunning statements are often the facades of artists' studios, some of which feature a mosaic of thirty or more paintings in a wide variety of genres. In metropolitan Kumase alone, there have been at least 105 studios operating at one time or another over the ...