Afrogallonism

“For the past 15 yrs I’ve used close to about 30,000 gallons” -Serge Attukwei Clottey. Clottey ” …is known for work that examines the powerful agency of everyday objects. … Clottey refers to his work as “Afrogallonism”, a concept that confronts the question of material culture through the utilisation of yellow gallon containers. …I started using gallon containers as a material over 17 years ago, which is where ‘Afrogallonism’ first started. The containers are significant to Ghana as they are a symbol of Ghana’s relationship with the West – also highlighting other environmental and consumerist issues. Completing the cycle, I transform the plastic into works of art which are then sold back to the West…I think that the increased demand for art from the African continent has occurred for some time now, with the growth in an international collector base, especially here in Ghana. Social media has definitely helped to increase global awareness and was a platform I found particularly useful when I first began to make work…”

-Omenka Magazine

Image courtesy of the artist and Gallery 1957, Accra

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