Mahama joins the ranks of Prof. J.H. Nketia (Laureate 1997), Tetteh Adzedu (Principal Award 1998), and El Anatsui (Laureate 2009) as previous Ghanaian Laureates of the Prince Claus Awards.
Prince Claus Awards honour individuals and organisations for their excellent, ground- breaking work in culture and development. The seven 2020 Prince Claus Laureates were announced on 2 December in an online ceremony. Viewers watching from around the world were invited into the Royal Palace Amsterdam. During the programme, His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Honorary Chair of the Prince Claus Fund, and the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag spoke about the power of culture.
” It is a great honor to be the recipient of the PRINCIPAL PRINCE CLAUS AWARD for 2020. It’s humbling to be receiving this award within the Times we live in. It proves that partnerships, collaborations, and most importantly support structures are very necessary for building the next generation engines. Most gratitude to Ghana and the continent for creating the enabling environment to think, create, and share my practice. Now more than ever we need to come together to build a new image for the continent and world at large.
My dear colleagues at @sccatamale and @redclay_studio . Thank you. You have made this road possible to continue walking on. Thanks for your courage, sacrifice, and dedication to work. And to the good people of Tamale. Thank you for making this work possible. “
Ibrahim Mahama
Ibrahim Mahama is a visual artist who is actively involved in improving social conditions. His powerful artworks use provocative materials and sites to examine and expose histories, uphold the role of labor, challenge authorities, and criticize the mismanagement of resources. Directly addressing the lack of opportunities and facilities in his home region, he has set up an open-access cultural center and other social projects providing employment, education, studio space, and creative activities