A photo album belonging to Willis Bell with a series of images featuring the works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose artworks depict understated aspects of community life in Ghana. Antubam was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. The album consists of 16 pages and includes 7 images. There are nine blank pages in the album. Album images include a number of carved wood panel reliefs produced in the early 1950s, as well as watercolour and ink piece, 'Bathing a Baby'. Some of the reliefs (such as 'Welcome Papa' depicting a man greeted by his child) were produced ahead of an exhibition in Russia. Many of the pieces were simply a version of a composition produced multiple times, often across multiple mediums; Antubam often created a piece in wood, as well as paint mediums such as watercolour and ink. One such piece is 1961 carved wood panel relief 'The Oware Game' depicting a man and a woman playing oware while another man observes. Multiples of this work exist in various mediums with subtle changes in each work. A piece perhaps not as recognisable as the others in this album is 'Sasabonsam', a carved sculpture of the mythical forest creature used to frighten children in Ghana. Antubam would have carved this figure around the time he started carving akuaba dolls.
The cover of a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Number of pages: 16 Number of images: 7 Number of blank pages: 9
The cover of a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Number of pages: 16 Number of images: 7 Number of blank pages: 9
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 1 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 2 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A wood carving in the style of Kofi Antubam depicting women returning from farm work. Antubam was a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 3 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A wood carving in the style of Kofi Antubam depicting a drummer playing an atumpan talking drum with a musician playing the gong-gong (cowbell). Antubam was a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 4 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A 1960s wood carving by Kofi Antubam depicting a man and a woman playing oware while another man observes; two men having a conversation; a woman and her daughter carrying pots. Antubam was a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Same image: meap0097_bell_b022_022; meap0097_bell_b027_091; meap0097_bell_b039_022_005_01.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 5 (blank) from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 6 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A wooden sculpture by Kofi Antubam depicting a deity with horns, wings and hind legs. Antubam was a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Same image: meap0097_bell_b027_096; meap0097_bell_b039_022_007_01.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A partial photo of a drawing of woman sitting on a traditional Akan stool, bathing a young child. To her right is another woman carrying a calabash. The art work is possibly by Kofi Antubam, a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Same image: meap0097_bell_b027_083; meap0097_bell_b039_022_007_02.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 7 from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
A close-up of a wood carving in the style of Kofi Antubam. Antubam was a renowned Ghanaian artist and designer whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah. Same image: meap0097_bell_b029_075; meap0097_bell_b039_022_008_01.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
Spread 8 (blank) from a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
The back cover of a photo album belonging to Willis Bell. The series of images in this album capture works of renowned artist and designer Kofi Antubam, whose works of art depicted understated aspects of community life in Ghana. He was appointed State Artist by Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, and was responsible for the design of the presidential mace and presidential seat used by Nkrumah.
Format: photographic prints, black-and-white photographs, sepia prints
Subject: Arts and Culture
Date: c. 1957-1978
