Ghanaian master coffin maker parades streets of Nottingham

Ghanaian master coffin maker, Joseph Tetteh Ashong (Paa Joe) paraded his coffins on the streets of Nottingham on August 28, 2016, ahead of his movie screening 'Paa Joe and The Lion', at Broadway Cinema.

Paa Joe (with family name Joseph Ashong) is a Ghanaian figurative palanquin and fantasy coffin artist born 1947 in the region Akwapim belonging to the Ga-Adangbe people, Greater Accra Region in Ghana.

Paa Joe is considered one of the most important Ghanaian coffin artist of his generation. He was involved since 1989 in major art exhibitions in Europe, Japan and the USA.

His fantasy coffins are in the collections of many art museums worldwide, including the British Museum in London.

The movie Paa Joe and The Lion'

Inside a dusty roadside shack sleeps Paa Joe - the world renowned Grandfather of the fantasy coffin trade.

He dreams of his bygone days – bringing money home in briefcases and work being shipped to galleries the world over. Now, he sleeps as the cars hurtle passed.

There are no customers, no tourists – there are no coffins to make. His son, Jacob, dreams too, he dreams of returning his father to his glory days and rebuilding the family legacy together.

Over the next four years they stand side-by-side, conquering love and death and embracing a life changing opportunity to travel to the UK to undertake an artist residency.

It is the start of their future together – father and son, master and apprentice, Paa Joe & The Lion. ‘Paa Joe & The Lion’ was directed by British filmmaker,Benjamin