Accra exhibition runs from 7 to 27 November as Absa L’Atelier marks 40 years of supporting emerging African artists
A new exhibition by Ghanaian artist Ezra Appiah will invite audiences to revisit the memories and stories held in family photographs, as Ghanaian photographer and environmental activist Reginald Boateng joins the 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winners.
Titled Family Album: A New and a Reborn Version, the exhibition will run from 7 to 27 November 2026 at The Mix Design Hub in Accra. Appiah, a 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winner, is presenting his first solo exhibition with Absa L’Atelier Art in Ghana following a two-month residency at the Kromdraai Creativity and Impact Hub in South Africa.
In the exhibition, Appiah draws on childhood memories and archival family photographs to examine how people remember and make sense of family life. Through montage, he brings past and present together, looking beyond the moments traditionally preserved in family albums to consider the relationships and experiences that often remain unseen. The work asks audiences to reflect on how photographs preserve memories while also shaping the stories families tell about themselves.
“I saw a reflection of self, a reliving of personal experiences that I then translated to thoughts and showed through visuals. So I hope everyone sees what I see and that this work inspires them to do the same,” says Appiah.
Born in Sekondi-Takoradi and based in Kumasi, Appiah completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) in Painting at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2022. He is a member of the blaxTARLINES collective and has exhibited in Ghana and internationally.
Reginald Kofi Boateng – Ghanaian Visual Artist and Photographer | 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador
The exhibition also comes as Ghana celebrates Reginald Boateng’s selection as a 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winner. Boateng was one of three recipients announced at the Absa L’Atelier Art & Lifestyle Fair at Waterfall City Park in South Africa on 10 October.
A photographer and environmental activist, Boateng draws inspiration from Ghanaian kente colours and coastal life. His work Our Water Turns Red, displayed at this year’s Fair, uses red water to draw attention to the environmental damage caused by illegal gold mining in Ghana.
Boateng’s award includes four months of mentorship with a leading visual arts practitioner, an international residency with the other two 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassadors, masterclasses and a laptop. He will also have the opportunity to stage a solo exhibition in 2028, with Absa contributing $6,000 towards materials.
Dr Paul Bayliss, Absa’s Senior Art and Museum Curator, said the exhibition demonstrates how sustained support can help artists develop their work and connect with audiences.
Dr. Paul Bayliss – Senior Specialist: Art and Museum Curator, Absa | Project Lead, Absa L’Atelier
“Supporting an artist means creating opportunities for them to develop their work and share it with audiences. Ezra’s exhibition in Ghana shows what that support can make possible, from his residency to presenting a new body of work in his home country,” says Dr Bayliss. “As we celebrate 40 years of Absa L’Atelier Art, it is particularly rewarding to see Ezra reach this moment while welcoming Reginald Boateng as a 2026 Ambassador Award winner. Their distinct perspectives demonstrate the strength of Ghanaian artistic talent and why we continue to invest in opportunities for emerging African artists. Their stories deserve to be seen and heard.”
Established in 1986 through a partnership between Absa and the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), Absa L’Atelier Art is the longest-running pan-African art competition and marks its 40th anniversary in 2026. The platform supports emerging artists’ professional development and helps them reach new audiences.
Ambassador Award winners receive mentorship, intensive masterclasses led by international experts and a two-month international residency. They may also stage a solo exhibition within two years of winning, with up to $6,000 towards exhibition materials and the majority of artwork sales proceeds going to the artist.
Ezra Appiah – Ghanaian Visual Artist and 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador
As part of the programme in Accra, Absa L’Atelier will host an artists’ masterclass on 5 November at the Absa Ghana Regional Office, followed by an art buyers’ masterclass on 7 November at The Mix Design Hub. The sessions are intended to help emerging artists develop their careers and give collectors a better understanding of the art market.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Exhibition: Family Album: A New and a Reborn Version
Artist: Ezra Appiah, 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winner
Venue: The Mix Design Hub, Accra, Ghana
Dates: 7–27 November 2026
Entry: Free
For updates, follow @absa.africa on Instagram and join the conversation using #AbsaLAtelier #AbsaLAtelier40 #YourStoryMatters.
Media queries:
- Absa Press Room: Tsietsi Mahlasela — Tsietsi.Mahlasela@absa.africa
- OnPoint PR: Louie-Vincent Office — Louie@onpointpr.co.za
About Absa L’Atelier Art
For 40 years, Absa L’Atelier Art has been one of Africa’s leading platforms for emerging visual artists. Hosted by Absa in partnership with SANAVA, the pan-African competition provides opportunities for professional development, exposure and career advancement through awards, residencies and exhibitions. By empowering artists to explore personal narratives, contemporary issues and new creative possibilities, Absa L’Atelier Art continues to nurture artistic excellence, elevate African voices and contribute to the growth of the continent’s cultural economy.
About SANAVA
Evolving from the Cape Fine Arts Society established in 1851, the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA) is the oldest and most representative national non-governmental association promoting the visual arts in South Africa. Over the years, it has developed into a national body of artists and visual art lovers, demonstrating resilience through wartime and economic, financial, social and political challenges. The organisation has operated under different names: the South African Fine Arts Association from 1871, the South African Association of Arts from 1945, and its current name from 1998.
SANAVA promotes the visual arts, including through the administration of three fully equipped artists’ studios at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France. The studios were acquired in the early 1990s under an occupational rights agreement valid until 2060. SANAVA supports its branches and affiliates with day-to-day operations, opportunities for national exhibitions, workshop funding and connections. It also facilitates projects and events, advises on challenges, and supports community outreach. Its vision is to cultivate appreciation for and enjoyment of the visual arts for all.
SANAVA seeks to connect South Africa with the African continent and the wider world, and has for many years been a member of the IAA (International Arts Association) in partnership with UNESCO. It partners with Absa in the pan-African L’Atelier art competition and seeks further alliances and support to grow the South African visual arts sector regionally and internationally through partnerships with government and private entities.
About Absa Group Limited
Absa Group Limited (Absa Group) is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. It offers products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, and insurance. Absa Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia, and has insurance operations in Kenya and South Africa. Absa also has offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria and the United States, securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, and technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic. Further information is available at www.absa.africa.