Gallery 1957 Marks Ten Years as Accra Cultural Week Celebrates Ghana's Growing Influence in Contemporary Art
As the 2026 edition of Accra Cultural Week concludes, Gallery 1957 reflects on a decade of championing African artists, building international connections and helping establish Ghana's capital as a significant destination on the global art calendar.
Gallery 1957, one of West Africa's prominent contemporary art galleries, is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a programme of exhibitions, artist encounters and cultural events held during Accra Cultural Week, which concludes today, 2 November 2026.
Founded in 2016 by Marwan Zakhem, Gallery 1957 has developed from a single exhibition space in Accra into an international gallery with a presence in London, representing and supporting artists from Ghana, across Africa and its diaspora. The anniversary marks a significant moment not only for the gallery but also for Ghana's contemporary art ecosystem, which has experienced increasing international visibility over the past decade.
At the centre of this year's celebrations is Where the Earth Remembers, a major group exhibition curated by Zakhem, bringing together established and emerging artistic voices whose work engages with questions of memory, heritage, identity and belonging. The exhibition opened on 31 October at the gallery's expansive UNLIMITED space in Accra and continues until 16 January 2027.
Gallery 1957 opened on 6 March 2016, Ghana's Independence Day, a symbolic choice that connected the gallery's identity to the country's cultural history and aspirations. Named after the year Ghana achieved independence from British colonial rule, the gallery was established to provide greater visibility and commercial opportunities for artists working in Ghana and across the African continent. Its inaugural exhibition, My Mother's Wardrobe, featured Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey, whose multidisciplinary practice explores migration, environmental concerns, identity and the histories embedded in everyday materials.
Over the following decade, Gallery 1957 developed an exhibition programme encompassing painting, sculpture, photography, installation and performance, while establishing relationships with international collectors, curators and cultural institutions. The gallery's expansion into London created an additional platform for connecting African and diasporic artistic practices with international audiences.
Beyond exhibitions and art sales, Gallery 1957 has invested in artist residencies, cultural programming and initiatives supporting the professional development of artists. Among these is the Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize, established in 2021 to support women artists from Ghana and its diaspora. Named after the historic Asante queen mother who led resistance against British colonial forces in 1900, the prize has become an important component of the gallery's commitment to supporting emerging artistic talent. In 2026, the prize is expanding its reach to Senegal, signalling an ambition to develop stronger cultural connections across the African continent.
For its tenth anniversary, Gallery 1957 has assembled a group of artists whose practices reflect the diversity and international reach of contemporary African art. Curated by Marwan Zakhem, Where the Earth Remembers features Ibrahim Mahama, Amoako Boafo, Gideon Appah, Serge Attukwei Clottey, Rita Mawuena Benissan, Godfried Donkor, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Modupeola Fadugba, Kaloki Nyamai, Yaw Owusu, Jeremiah Quarshie, Jonathan Okoronkwo, Professor Ablade Glover and Abdoulaye Konaté. Presented in the gallery's 1,400-square-metre exhibition space, the exhibition examines how artists engage inherited histories through materials, images and cultural memory.
Alongside the anniversary group exhibition, Gallery 1957 opened The Lore of Care: Maternal Acts of Devotion, a solo exhibition by Ghanaian artist Theresah Ankomah, winner of the 2025 Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize. Curated by Kezia Ouomoye Owusu-Ankomah, the exhibition examines motherhood, domestic labour and care through sculpture, textiles, screenprinting and weaving. Working with repurposed materials, including second-hand bedsheets sourced from Accra's Kantamanto market, Ankomah explores the social histories carried by everyday objects and the intergenerational knowledge embedded in women's labour.
The tenth anniversary of Gallery 1957 comes at a time when the international contemporary art market is increasingly recognising the contributions of artists working across Africa and its diaspora. Ghanaian artists including El Anatsui, Ibrahim Mahama, Amoako Boafo, Serge Attukwei Clottey and Gideon Appah have developed significant international profiles through exhibitions, institutional recognition and participation in global art events.
Exhibition information
Where the Earth Remembers 31 October 2026 – 16 January 2027 Gallery 1957 UNLIMITED, Accra, Ghana
The Lore of Care: Maternal Acts of Devotion 29 October – 5 December 2026 Gallery 1957, Accra, Ghana
Accra Cultural Week 2026: 29 October – 2 November 2026
For further information: www.gallery1957.com
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