FLOWER POWER: An Arewa Story from the South

In Issah’s recent explorations of tradition, design, and ornamentation, the Arewa marriage ceremony emerges not merely as a celebration of union, but as a plethora of cultural history expressed through fashion, architecture, and Art Deco-esque aesthetics. Rooted in Islamic marital tradition, the Arewa ceremony has, over time, undergone a gradual infusion of foreign elements, reflecting a continual negotiation between indigenous customs and external cultural aesthetics.

The exhibition positions the ceremony as a protagonist in a larger narrative, one that bridges love and ritual with layered historical inferences and aesthetic grandeur. Issah boldly captures the interplay between traditional customs and Victorian-era influences of Black identity, architecture and fashion, revealing how these references extend beyond theory into contemporary practice manifested through everyday expressions of craftmanship and design.

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Curated by Nuna Adisenu-Doe. WORLDFAZE ART PRACTICE. Accra, Ghana

On view from 20th June, 2025