Horror of Holocaust taken to Ghana by South African artist Adelheid Frackiewicz an ABSA L’Átelier ambassador

Absa L’Atelier 2021 Ambassadors Present “Refuge: An Uncommon Home” Exhibition, Taking Centre Stage in Ghana

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

When ABSA L’Atelier Ambassadors were introduced to the media early this year at their group exhibition held at ABSA Gallery in Johannesburg CBD, one of the winning artists who was there on the opening night is Dr Adelheid Frackiewicz.

I was struck by her representation of the horror that befall victims of the Jewish genocide during the Second World War when Germany in a moment of madness under Hitler. Germans prompted by Hitler’s hate turned on Jews and other minorities such as gays among others –millions were killed. The figure of 6 million dead at the end of that madness is universally agreed is the number of the perished.

Frackiewicz’s installation in that exhibition was quite poignant in capturing the event that shook the world when it took place.

I became curious to want to find out what motivated her to create those works that ultimately won her a place in the competition. The soft spoken artist revealed during that conversation that in fact her grandparents were survivors of that horror and she heard these sad stories of the genocide from her grandmother as she grew up in Bloemfontein, and therefore she made it her duty to revisit that sad issue that befell her fore bears. In other words Frackiewicz’s art practice is informed by representing that horror that affected many and till today has international echoes several decades later. Books have been written, films produced and survivors continue to tell the horror they faced. But visual artist Frackiewicz uses her facility of visual language to tell that story today.

Right now, that story is spreading to other places besides South Africa as she is part of the artists, other winners of the ABSA L’Átelier whose works are currently showing in Ghana right now.

 Absa L’Atelier, the renowned art competition and platform for emerging African artists, is thrilled to announce the travelling exhibition for the 2021 Ambassordors, which will be hosted by the Institute Museum of Ghana in Accra, Ghana from 28 July until 26 August 2023.

This collaborative exhibition will showcase recently produced artworks by the 2021 Absa L’Atelier Ambassordors, Dr Adelheid Frackiewicz from South Africa, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun from Nigeria, and Michael Blebo from Ghana. The collaboration has provided these artists with an opportunity to amplify their voices and further provided a platform to showcase their artistic vision, experiences, and insights with the wider African art communities.

This dynamic traveling exhibition to Ghana forms part of the winning prize for the 2021 Ambassordors, their artwork will only exhibit at the Institute Museum of Ghana, and won’t travel beyond this. This collection of artwork has previously been showcased in the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg and at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK 2023) arts festival in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Visitors who’ll be attending the exhibition at the Institute Museum of Ghana will get to experience the diverse transformative journeys of self-reflection undertaken by each of the artists. Seeing first hand how their creative process became a catalyst for introspection, enabling them to confront their personal traumas and navigate their apprehension towards the past and the future. Each artist has expressed how through this process they have been empowered to confront their anxieties about the unknown and embrace a newfound resilience.

“We are excited to launch the exhibition in Ghana, a country with a rich artistic heritage,” says Dr Paul Bayliss, Absa Senior Specialist: Art and Museum Curator “The Absa L’Atelier Ambassadors represent the epitome of artistic excellence and creativity in Africa. Through this collaboration, we aim to celebrate their achievements, provide them with a platform to share their stories, and inspire the next generation of African artists.”

As part of the tour, the Ambassadors will also visit local art institutions, engage with community art projects, and participate in cultural exchanges with Ghanaian artists and art organisations. This immersive experience will enable them to gain a deeper understanding of the Ghanaian art scene and forge meaningful connections with local artists and communities.

Absa L’Atelier invites the public, art enthusiasts, and media to join the Refuge: An uncommon home collaborative exhibition and witness the incredible talent and artistic vision of these exceptional artists. Their stories and artworks will serve as a source of inspiration, igniting a passion for the arts and promoting the appreciation of African artistic expression.