Curator: Ebenezer Kow Abraham
Participants: Christopher Okai, Hannah Awukubea Akotuah, Michael Nyarkom, Henry Fianu, Wise Kwaku Adadey
In this exhibition, themed Beyond Boundaries, I highlight the works of five third-year student artists from the Department of Art Education at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana who are first-time users of AI for their drawing course. Drawing is a bona fide essential skill that enhances learning across all programs in the Department of Art Education. For this reason, students register for six different drawing courses across six semesters.
Students study Independent Studies in Drawing (ISD) in their sixth semester. Grounded in the objective of ISD which encourages students to make critical interventions in drawing history and to question or explore the norms of drawing in a self-directed activity, the students were tasked to explore beyond the boundaries of drawing to build a portfolio of drawings for exhibition. Guided by the umbrella theme of this exhibition, “Beyond Boundaries” the students chose themes that reflected their feelings and worldview as Ghanaians.
Christopher Okai expresses his worry over the dark side of politics in Ghana in his exploration entitled “Shadows of Compromise”. Hannah Awukubea Akotuah’s AI-generated drawings depict the beauty of the black woman which is often subdued by the varied hardships of life. In Michael Nyarkom’s works, he projects that Africa cannot be left out in the worldwide technological advancements. Henry Fianu shows the upside of village life in Ghana with his series of drawings entitled Harmony in the Village. Finally, Wise Kwaku Adadey expresses his admiration for the African Woman whose inner strength makes her smile in the face of adversity in his AI-generated drawing entitled “Joy in Chaos”.
These drawings were made from their desire to embrace technology and to try new things out of the norm. Their engagement in AI tools represents an unprecedented approach to drawing in UEW that transitions from the traditional pencil-and-paper approach to digital tools. Artificial Intelligence has come to stay. Art educators and students should explore this growing field to prepare for the future of drawing. It is time to work hard but smart!
