Ghana 57: Art, Independence, Liberation: An Exhibition in Process Prof. Raymond Silverman, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan

In 1957, Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from its colonizers. In the following decades, Ghanaian artists engaged with each other, African American artists, and with newly energized publics to express their ideals for a self-determined society, experimenting with strategies for catalyzing change in and through the arts. A binational curatorial team is currently organizing an exhibition, Ghana 57: Art, Independence, Liberation, scheduled to open at the National Museum of Ghana in 2027, that explores art making during this exciting transformative period. Our discussion will explore the content of the exhibition and the team's collaborative process.