Ibrahim Mahama’s latest exhibition, A Spell of Good Things, at the White Cube gallery, New York which is also his first solo exhibition in New York is a powerful testament to the artist’s ongoing exploration of history, politics, and material culture. Known for his monumental installations that often repurpose found materials, Mahama continues to delve into themes of labor, economy, and collective memory. In this new exhibition, he deftly fuses history and material, creating a striking narrative that intertwines Ghana’s colonial past with its present socio-political realities.
Ibrahim Mahama, a Ghanaian artist celebrated for his work with jute sacks, uses discarded objects in his art to reflect the complex histories embedded in them. Through the use of aged fabrics, metal, wood, and other reclaimed materials, he transforms everyday items into potent symbols of struggle, resilience, and transformation. The exhibition which holds from 5th September, 2024 till 26th October, 2024 draws its title from Ayobami Adebayo’s novel ‘A Spell of Good Things’. The exhibition features a collection of dilapidated beds from the Tamale Teaching Hospital in Northern Ghana as well as parts salvaged from obsolete train carriages.
Several of the hospital beds are covered with leather ‘sheets’, inscribed with the names of individuals who died at the hospital, those displaced or migrated due to post-Independence economic instability, and the names of locations drawn from British colonial maps, tattooed with carbon sourced from kerosene lamps. Parts of the leather sheets Mahama incorporates are sourced from the furnishings of abandoned trains of the former Gold Coast Railway.
While Mahama’s work is rooted in historical narratives, it is also deeply connected to contemporary issues. In A Spell of Good Things, the artist explores the parallels between the colonial past and the present-day realities of global trade, migration, and economic inequality. The materials he uses—once part of global supply chains—serve as reminders that these systems of exploitation are still in place today, albeit in different forms.
The exhibition’s title, A Spell of Good Things, hints at a more hopeful future, suggesting that despite the weight of the past, there is potential for transformation and renewal. Mahama’s work often reflects this duality, balancing the harsh realities of history with the possibility of change. His art is not only a reflection on what has been but also a call to imagine what could be.
A Spell of Good Things is a bold and ambitious exhibition that challenges viewers to confront the legacies of colonialism, exploitation, and inequality. Through his masterful use of material and scale, Ibrahim Mahama creates works that are not only visually stunning but also rich in historical and political meaning. The exhibition is a testament to Mahama’s ability to merge art and history, turning discarded objects into powerful symbols of collective memory and resilience.
In a world where the past is often forgotten or ignored, Mahama’s work serves as a necessary reminder that history is never far behind us. A Spell of Good Things is a call to remember, to reflect, and to imagine a future where the weight of the past is transformed into something new. Through his bold fusion of history and material, Mahama continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art, creating works that resonate far beyond the walls of any gallery.
