de-inked (2025)
Herculite, Graphite powder, dimensions variable
As exhibited at Lewisham Arthouse, 27th - 29th April 2025
description below
As exhibited at Lewisham Arthouse, 27th - 29th April 2025
description below
de-inked is an edition of 3 fragmented face mask sculptures, inspired by the phenomenon of sun-faded Ghanaian funeral posters.
In Ghana, it is custom for funeral posters/banners to be created and put up in the local area of the deceased and their family. These can often categorised by their makeshift graphic design, low-quality image choice and being titled with phrases echoing Christian scripture and spiritual beliefs such as ‘Called to Glory’, ‘Home call’, ‘Painful exit’, ‘Celebration of life’ and ‘Transition’. However due to the intensity of the sun, these details often are faded when left up for too long, creating these uncanny, ephemeral images that have half removed faces and hard to read names.
With de-inking being a process that paper goes through in order to be recycled, these sculptures represent the de-inked images of those who have ascended - whose souls, essence and ink has been lifted by the sun, now embarking on a transitional journey to heaven and beyond.