Foundation urges transformation of art into lucrative enterprise

Accra, Nov. 5, GNA - The Foundation For Female Photojournalists (FFP) on Saturday organized an art exhibition aimed at promoting self-reliance and economic independence to alleviate poverty among young artists and support rural women. Ms Mardey Ohui Ofoe, Director of the FFP opening the exhibition under the theme "Assorted Creativity", described it as a groundbreaking project to earmark preparations towards the celebration of the Street Art Festival next year.

Street Arts Festival is a project that would create an opportunity for artists to develop their arts and to market their products targeted at the elite and middle class customers across the globe. The exhibition was organized in conjunction with Infonin Gallery, a non-governmental organization that promotes artists and would also serve as an initiative to develop a concept that would create an enabling environment for artists.

Ms Mardey Ofoe expressed concern about the inability of young artists to market their products, saying the project would advance art works with materials to create artwork within localities and themes that are central to humanity and yet peculiar to West African countries.

Ms Akwele Suma-Glory, a renowned artist and resource person on the project, described art as "a form of life and intuitive perception that reflects on the environment". She urged young artists to upgrade their knowledge in order to improve the social perception of arts, adding that they should be truthful and straightforward in their presentations since "art is a world of freedom". The project attracted painters, textile and graphic designers among others as participants from various schools of art.