Djeka Channeling His Ancestors

Djeka entitled his Fine Arts degree thesis “The Esoteric African Heritage”. In the twenty years since - contemporary art from the African Continent has enjoyed exponential growth across all spheres and curation - ranging from museums to commercial success, in galleries on the Continent and beyond. The increased interest in contemporary African art is now far from esoteric! Indeed there is a global and sustained demand for all manner of cultural production from the African Continent and its Diaspora both in historical, contemporary and futuristic contexts.

Djeka chooses to interrogate and anchor this wide heritage in a look back at his own very specific background and history of the Baoulé Kingdom and people which span present day Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana on the West African Coast. Baoulé masks and sculptures have inspired artists throughout history - such as Modigliani, and Djeka the artist ‘re-appropriates’ his own culture for a wider audience in this show entitled ‘Channeling his Baoulé Ancestors.’. Thus underpinning his powerful repertoire in the idea of dreaming of the past that actually fuels the future!