Ibrahim Mahama honoured in Accra after winning 2026 Arnold Bode Prize

Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama has been celebrated at a reception in Accra following his win of the 2026 Arnold Bode Prize, presented by the City of Kassel in Germany. The ceremony, hosted by German Ambassador to Ghana Frederik Landshöft and his wife Lisa Landshöft at the German Residence, brought together members of Ghana’s arts community and representatives from the DAAD and Goethe-Institut.

The Arnold Bode Prize, founded in 1980 and named after Arnold Bode, the founder of documenta, seeks to honor innovative artists. Mahama’s connection to Kassel dates back to the 2017 documenta 14, where he transformed the Torwache complex using jute sacks and remnants of old Henschel locomotives, titled Check Point Sekondi Loco. Mahama is renowned for his large-scale installations crafted from discarded materials, primarily jute sacks and railway parts, which explore themes of labor, migration, colonialism, and global trade through everyday objects.

German Ambassador Landshöft commended Mahama for his ability to breathe new life into historical objects, imbuing them with fresh meaning. His artistic collaborations with Germany extend beyond Kassel, including a DAAD Artists-in-Berlin fellowship in 2017 and an exhibition at the daadgalerie in Berlin in 2018. These connections underscore Mahama’s role in fostering cultural exchange between Ghanaian and German artists, with Ambassador Landshöft highlighting how such partnerships demonstrate the lasting impact of cultural exchange.

Mahama has also invested in nurturing young talent through the establishment of cultural spaces like the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art, Red Clay Studios, and Nkrumah Volini in Tamale, which provide platforms for exhibitions, research, experimentation, and education. The Ambassador emphasized Mahama’s dedication to supporting the next generation of artists, stating that for him, young artists are central to his mission.

Additionally, the reception featured a dialogue between Mahama and German artist Rebekka Macht, discussing the significance of cross-cultural conversations in promoting diverse perspectives and fostering international artistic connections.