How did you get into the arts?
I started performing at age 19 without pay. When I was at the university I was making a list of great people and that had a positive influence on me. I started receiving pay as a professional in 2012 when I did a project for African Image, after doing stage performances in 2010. I then developed an interest in gallery, exhibitions as well. At age 6, I made a helicopter, refrigerators and all kinds of toys.
My first hint of a multidisciplinary career in art was biking, acrobatics and street fights
How did people perceive the art you do?
The way I performed my art was unique and original. My art was not just about content but also the personality behind it. My art was seen as different from other arts.
My family including society didn’t appreciate art because our culture is not made for us to appreciate art but it’s now better. Ghana is young when it comes to the arts.
How did the arts change your life?
The arts taught me to have value for life and the things of life. Value for things that are not physical; your identity, image, and how value can open one’s eyes to see and appreciate things and principles that can transform people.
How would you describe the art you do?
My art is unique. I call it “poetry installation”. It was what I did for African Image. They all started as words but not just mere words but words that have a connection with poetry and have depth. When I talk about words that have a connection with poetry which is called “romanticism” a kind of poetry where everyday objects are giving a unique and supernatural appeal. I also made short videos that captured the way I compose elements and objects and make videos of it. I call them art video skits. I also make good use of sounds. I use sounds from the environment or unique phenomenon instead of using sounds of normal music.
Your brand!
My brand is called Gari Fortor Ventures. It captures everything I do. I use the name of gari Fortor because it’s all about promoting the values of our culture. I thought of an interesting name and Gari Fortor just came up when I was trying to get a name for it. I consider the little golden grains of gari to mean richness, gold dust, etc so you are as rich as Gari Fortor.
The arts, is it impacting on Ghanaians?
I would say yes. We have traditional forms of art, which are advancing.
The contemporary form of art began when Ghanaians started painting.
Is it lucrative?
Art is an ocean of ideas and it’s big business just that it’s capital intensive. Everything we see around us is an art: the cars, bulbs, and myriads of designs are all art forms. Art is not limited to just painting and designing. It’s sometimes challenging when it’s unique and you haven’t identified your target market. It then becomes difficult to get support and investors. When you have the passion to do it, you will make it because everything is so possible.
What about art in our schools?
Art is not so well represented in our educational institutions. There is still that post-colonial mentality that schooling is education where we were trained to administer what other people have produced. Parents are forcing their children to take after them in terms of career. Schooling has been limited to ‘read’ and ‘write’ and get a decent life and it works because that’s how the system has been. There is an overburden of academic work and there is no room for creativity. E.g. students are studying medicine, law, science, sociology and yet the schools have residence halls full of dustbins filled with rubbish, bathrooms are very dirty and that is the education they are receiving. We need the arts to make education flexible for creativity and the value it instils made visible. My company has art programs for students in schools. Eg. Dzembe drum is one of the biggest exports of African culture and art to Europe. Learning to play Dzembe is exploring rhythms from different cultures.
How is the Ghanaian art perceived by foreigners?
They are helpful to the art industry and they love African art.
They are interested in discovering new things that are in Africa and what is emerging.
They are also documenting African art but I don’t know how far they are using it to educate their people about Africa.
Art as a cure (medicine)
I work with some schools at different levels. It’s a combination of art and creativity. E.g. Artistically, if a child is good at mathematics, that’s okay. But we use art to channel their creativity to other fields in areas they are not so good at. In that way, they are broadened and enlightened.
Art as a correctional project
Art can be used in prisons and mental rehab centres to help people recover and also get a better life through livelihood support systems. Some people who go to prison come back as deep thinkers, so instead of treating them as outcasts, the government can engage them in art centres and help tap their potentials and also generate employment and revenues for the country.
Is or are there any artist that influenced your life?
God is my greatest artist. Micheal Angelo is a sculpture and he also inspires me.
Leonardo Da Vinci. I have a lot of artistic influences here in Ghana as well.
Renate Dzodzomenyo- African Post Online
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Renate is a lawyer, publicist, and writer. She believes that education and information is the key to developing and shaping Africa. In her free time, she paints beautiful art pieces on canvas. Renate believes that life is a perception, and you live it the way you perceive it.
