Ghanaian Artist, Lois Selasie Arde-Acquah, took home the grand prize of $5,000 as she was named the overall winner at the 2020 Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art.

The award aimed at empowering the most talented artist from the West African sub-region received over one thousand competing art pieces and was contested by 266 artists.

Ms Arde-Acquah’s work stood out among 12 finalists at the award ceremony held last Thursday in Accra with Mr. Opoku Mensah, emerging First Runner up while Nigeria’s Chinwe Chigby was adjudged Second Runner up.

Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Founder of the Kuenyehia Trust for Contemporary Art, in his address, said the Trust continued to make a difference in spite of challenges.

He said artists who participated in previous contests recorded an increase in value for their works, indicating that the Trust would work to make the award the “most-sought after Art Prize” in Africa.

“There is not a single artist who has made it to our shortlist whose work has not seen an increase in value. Each of our artists is as good as the best anywhere in the world. Each of our artists has an upward trajectory and each of them is worth betting on,” he said.

While acknowledging the support received over the years, the founder urged individuals and corporate entities to patronise indigenous art, support talented artists and donate to the Trust.

“Each of our artists is talented but talent alone is not enough. The artists who get ahead are those who in addition to talent gain visibility and continue to develop their practices,” Mr. Kuenyehia added.

Prof. Edwin Kwesi Bojawah, Director of KNUST Museum, emphasised the role of art in national development and called on stakeholders to invest in the sector.

Mr. Ohenaba Kofi Owusu Bempah, a board member of the Trust, praised the winners for their unique work and was confident that the artists would keep on producing unique and impressive works.

Having been in the industry for the past five years, Ms. Arde-Acquah attributed her progress to hard work stating she would “devote time and resources to art practice in the years ahead.”

By Ernest Nutsugah