Ame yi wo dzi le fe akpe ɖeka alafa asieke bla enyi vo ɖeka le Ho, Ghana, Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi(crazinisT) yi wɔdɔ le xexeaame godoo gake xɔ Kumasi, Ghana dzi se. sHit nye ame yi foafu aloo wɔa wɔna geɖeewo ɖekae hena taɖodzinu aɖe kpɔkpɔ, dɔtatɔ kple artistic director yi nye ame yi kpɔa wɔna wo dzi na perfocraZe international Artists Residency (pIAR) yi ɖo taɖodzinu be ya de asi tsatsa gbeta kple afe nɔnɔmetata talawo, ame yi wo ʋlia hena tɔtrɔ, nugɔmekulawo, ame yi wo kpɔa modzaka nya wo gbɔ le hadzidzi fe azã ɖu fe wo kple agbalẽnyala me.
Abe ame yi ɖee modzaka kple installation artist yi nye nutata fe alɔdze ɖeka,crazinisT kua nu me kuɖe dɔdeasi nana ame wo kuɖe wofe ŋtsu aloo nyɔnu nyenyeŋu, dzixɔse yi wo me tu ɖe naneke dzi o, seselelãme to vo yi le ame wo me abe ŋtsu kple ŋtsu fe dɔdɔ, dunyagblɔha aɖe me nɔnɔ kple susu ya be ye nye du a ɖe me tɔ aloo habɔbɔ aɖe me nɔ la, kple ʋunyaʋunya, ɖekleme dede ame yi wo dzodzro nɔa wo me ɖe wo hati ŋu (nyɔnu kple nyɔnu aloo ŋtsu kple ŋtsu fe dɔdɔ) kple wo fe numadeamedzi yi wo doa tso me yi ɖea bubu le wo ŋu abe ameɖekaɖeka aloo habɔbɔ ene.
Ame yi nye kɔnudziwɔla kple ame yi fe nɔnɔme le abe ŋtsu kple nyɔnu tɔ sia enea, sHit xɔ sHits ŋtɔ fe ŋtilã aloo nɔnɔme abe nu yi na wo bua tamevevie kuɖe modzaka ɖeɖe ŋu, photo kple video yi nye ame lele ɖe agbadzi fe wɔna, installations, ‘life-and-live-art’, numekuku tso ɖeklemeɖeɖe, numama na dukɔmeviwo sɔsɔe, ʋunyaʋunya, bubumadeamenu, afi yi wo ɖoa be ame yi wo dzi wo teɖo xɔese be ame yi wo le tetem ɖe ye wo dzi fe nɔwɔna, dzixɔse kple bubuwo le etefe, malɔ̃malɔ̃ ɖe ame yi wo agbalẽyibɔ le wo ŋu fe dzɔtsofe kple nuwɔnawo dzi, dzizizi nufafia yi na be amewo bua wo fe dzixɔse hena dzixɔse bubu, kple bubu geɖee wo.
Le fe akpe eve kple adea mea, crazinisT artisT xɔ hehe he kpɔ gododo nyoie abe nufiala le E.P Teacher Training college, Amedzofe (College of Education) eya megbea, sHit wɔ dɔ kple Ghana Education Service va se ɖe fe akpe eve kple ewoa me. sHit xɔ Bachelor Degree le Fine Arts – BFA (Painting) me le fe akpe eve kple wuienea me kple MFA (AbD) le fe akpe eve kple wuiadra me tso Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
crazinisT ɖe modzaka kple dɔwɔnawoɖeɖefia le xexeame godoo le dukɔwo me abe Nigeria, Togo,Ghana, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Cape Verde, USA, Spain, Brazil, France kple UK.
Wo de sHit bubludodo geɖee wo me abe I-D Vice London, I-D Vice, Dutch, Financial times, King Kong Magazine, CCQ London, Maimi Rails, ‘Freeflowingvisuals’, TRT WORD Film Documentary, This is Africa, Art Ghana, Lost At E Minor, CNN, The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Tageszeitung (TAZ), Horizonte da Cena, Radio FRO etc
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Pronoun: “sHit” if not “she”
Born 1981 in Ho, Ghana, Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi [crazinisT artisT] works internationally but lives in Kumasi, Ghana. sHit is a multidisciplinary “artivist”, founder and artistic director of perfocraZe International Artists Residency (pIAR) which aimed at promoting exchange between international and local artists, activists, researchers, curators, and thinkers. As a performer and installation artist, crazinisT investigates gender stereotypes, prejudices, queerness, identity politics and conflicts, sexual stigma and their consequences for marginalized groups or individuals. With rituals and a gender-fluid persona, sHit employs sHits own body as a thought-provoking tool in performances, photography, video, and installations, ‘life-and-live-art’ confronting issues such as disenfranchisement, social justice, violence, objectification, internalized oppression, anti blackness, systemic indoctrination and many more.
crazinisT has performed and exhibited across the globe including countries such as Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Cape Verde, USA, Spain, Brazil, France and UK. sHit has also been featured in several publications and magazines such as I-D Vice Dutch, Financial times, King Kong Magazine, CCQ London, among others.
Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi
Un(EARth)ing w-E-story
Performance Video
2021
Un(EARth)ing w-E-story nye dekɔnu gbugbɔ ɖo anyi aloo gbugbɔ xo deme, ami sisi na ŋtigbalɛ, dzotɔtɔ ɖawo abe dzeside na ŋtilã fe sidzedze yeye, gbɔgbɔvɔ̃ wo ɖeɖeɖa, luʋu la dzadzraɖo, dzi la fe hayahaya katsiatsiayeye kple mia fe ememe kple susu be mia gbugbɔ dzi. Ɖewomahẽ mia fe didi vivie kple tamebubu be mia kpɔ dzidzeme le agbeme to mɔ sia mɔ nu aloo susu dadaɖe etsɔmenyoie aloo ŋsẽ dzi he mí ɖe aga tso miafe luʋu wo gbɔ, ateŋu anɔ eme be mí bu mia fe dzodzro kple dzigbɔɖi he na mia ŋtɔ fe ememe tutuɖo yi na be mie he ɖe aga tso mia fe dzɔtsofewo gbɔ. Wɔna kua nume kuɖe aleyi ameɖekaɖekawo ateŋu aɖo yawoŋtɔ fe dekɔnu atsɔ trɔ dekɔnu yi nɔ wo si tsã aloo atrɔwo fe dzixɔse aloo awɔ nɔnɔme bubu na wo ɖokuiwo.
Wo le mi akpasẽsẽe, dzrami, dɔmiagnɔ akpasẽsẽe he womi. Mia teŋu ke nu agblɔ nyatefea hã, a ha yi hlɔ̃ do la wo wɔ ge o, elabena wo te mia fe luʋu wo ɖe atike vɔ̃ɖi wo me, eye mia fe nu wo ku ɖe amlimaŋusẽ vɔ̃ɖi wo ta
Dekɔnu ya wo ɖeamɔ na mi be mia ɖe mia fe gbɔgbɔmenɔnɔ fia, seselelãme be mi lii kple amehaɖewo, kple be mia gbugbɔ tsiaka kple fome aloo dzɔtsofe. Le tanyagã na wɔna ya fe ŋsẽdoame nua, eɖoŋku mia fe dzidzi ,mia fe tɔtrɔ,mia fe mɔzɔzɔ kple ku dzi na mí, afi kae mietso, ye afi kae mie yina tso afisia? Nu ka wo fia be na nye dumevi, fome, dukɔ, esã aloo hlɔ̃ kple bubuawo? Aleke mia teŋu a gbugbɔ ŋku ɖo mia fe ɖekawɔwɔ kple mia tɔgbui tɔgbui wo dzi aloo nu yi wo gblɛ ɖi na mi abe dzixɔsela akɔkɔawo yi nye ame yi wo mie nye,ame yi wo mia nye kple ame yi wo mia va zu? Edzrɔm be mia teŋu aʋ̃, aselelãme kple aɖɔ mia ŋtɔ fe nɔnɔme yi mateŋu nɔ hehe aɖeke te kuɖe kluvinyenye kple nɔfewoɖoliɖoli, mia fe dadadzidzi nɔnɔme nyakpɔ la kple mia fe nyatefe se akpɔ.
Wɔna ayidzi le kpɔtɔtɔ feme gake ʋua anɔ ʋuʋu. A ɖo ŋku agbe fe ŋsẽdoame yi li, ne nye be mi le mia ŋtɔfe afewo me na mi, nudzɔdzɔ yi me le etefe tutu, aloo eyi mateŋu nɔ anyi woa xɔ ɣeyiyi didi o kple akpoxɔnu na habɔbɔ yi dziɖuɖu me doalɔ o. Gbã, woa kpɔ wɔna tefe abe ɖe wo ta ŋtilã kple dekɔnu de gli tome. Abe miniti bla eve vaseɖe bla etɔa,̃ dekɔnu ayi dzi, anɔ ami sim na ŋtilã la, eyi me ke woa ga nɔ ɖa la fiam aha nɔ efiam aloo anɔ dzo dem eme
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“Un(EARth)ing ‘w-E-story” is a reclamation of rituals, oiling of the body and burning the hair as a symbol of rediscovering ‘ourselves’, ‘warding off evil’, cleansing the soul, healing the heart and reconnecting with our inner-self in order to regenerate. Perhaps our agency and obsession to succeed at all cost or focusing on a “future-of-wealth-making” or power might have disconnected us from our own souls, we may have lost the passion and patience for nurturing our own inner spirit and have been disconnected from our roots. The performance investigates how individuals could create their own rituals to navigate their cultural identity, or to reclaim their own narratives. We have been captured, sold, raped and murdered! We can not even speak our own truth and name the perpetrators because our spirits have been soaked in ‘wild medicines’ and silenced by harmful ‘magics’.
These rituals allow us to unearth our spirituality, sense of belonging and to reconnect with our ancestry. Inspired by the title of the general project, we are reminded of our birth, transitions, migration and death; where do we come from and where do we go from here? What does it mean to be native, citizen, family, community, a clan and so on? How do we reimagine our ancestral relationship as a spiritual embodiment of who we were, who we are and who we shall become? I wish we could all at least smell, feel and taste our own “untamed” identity prior to colonialism and displacement, the beauty of our rawness and our own truth.
The performance takes place in a closet built into a fence wall but leaving the doors open. It evokes the metaphors of living in our own closets, bubbles and cocoons as marginalized groups. The performance is experienced ‘frontally’ as though the body and rituals are being flattened or embossed into the wall. For about 20 to 30 minutes the rituals continue repeatedly oiling the body, while cutting and burning the hair.
Wo dzi Chris Parker Edzordzi Sefogah le fe akpe ɖeka alafa asieke bla asieke vo eve, le fe dzinu wuievelia (Ƒoave) me. Abe nutala, Edzordzi yi wo ga wɔna be Megborna zɔ mɔ yi nye ame ɖokui tutuɖo le ŋdzɔdzɔ me fe mɔ yi na be wo trɔ asi le efe dzɔdzɔmenunana nu wo zɔ tɔxe le nudzɔdzɔwo kple agbe me.
Ŋsẽdodo yi na kpɔ tso Akpalu Megborna fe ha kple hakpanya wo me nye yi wo denu wo nɔe wo me. Vovototomademade efe ha kple efe hakpanyawo me, a se efe ha yi a tro ɖe nyagbe yi wo a vivinuwo; ɣeaɖewoyia, efe hakpanya wo trɔa zɔa hadzidzi.
Nɔnɔme tɔxe yi le Megborna ŋu nye aleyi wo tsɔ hadzidzi, hakpanya, ʋufofo,ɣeɖuɖu fofu tsɔ wɔa dɔ ɖekae. Ewɔ na nu ya wo katã fupkepke manɔmee. Ewɔa dɔ adudu kple Ghana hadzigbeɖiɖiwo, ke hã, a se gbeɖiɖi vovovo yi wo me to vovo sãã na gbeɖiɖi bubuwo le xexea me godoo o. Megborna fe ha kple hakpanya wo le pidgin yi nye yevugbe(English) dodo emadetefe tɔe kple Ghana gbegbɔgblɔwo vevietɔ Eʋugbe me. Megborna le asi trɔm le ha ade yi wó ɖe ŋkɔ na be VUDOMUSIC, xɔ dzigboɖi na se ha ya wo hafi
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Chris Parker Edzordzi Sefogah was born in December 1992. As an artist, Edzordzi also known as Megborna embarks on a journey of conscious-awakening-of-self, honing his craft into a unique style of capturing realities and lives. Drawing inspiration from Akpalu, Megborna’s music and poetry are intertwined. Not differentiating his poetry from songs you will hear his songs turn into recited words; other times, his poems will flow into music. A fascinating dimension to Megborna is how he puts music, poetry, drumming and dancing into one package. There is a fluidity to how it all flows as one.
Megborna works extensively with sound projections and techniques unique to Ghana, yet you will always feel a dynamic twist of sound elements not so different from all sounds worldwide. Megborna’s spoken word and music are characterised by heavy use of pidgin and Ghanaian languages, especially the Ewe language. Megborna is currently working on a new wave, VODUMUSIC. Wait till you feel it.
Megborna
HAKPANYA
Video
2021
Dɔ yi dom ɖa me le be mia wɔ enye: HAKPANYA (Nyagbe ɖeka le Euegbe me zãzã yi a fonu tso ‘nyafɔkpe yi wo foafʋ tso wɔa hakpanyã, nyagbɔgblɔ, kple nyafɔkpe yi wo foafu tsɔ wɔa hadzidzie) abe dɔwɔnu enea, Megborna wɔa wɔna tɔxe yi aɖe mɔ na dzeɖoɖo tome, yi kpɔ ŋsẽ dodo tso Eʋeawo vivitɔ Anlowo fe dzixosewo, agbenɔnɔ, gbeɖiɖiwo kple Eʋeawo fe hadzigbeɖiɖiwo gbɔ.
Hakpanya le efe alɔdze wo katã me, ɖea nukpɔkpɔwo kple gbeɖiɖiwo, yi wo tsiaka kple mía fe dzɔdzɔmeŋtinyawo, dzɔtsofewo,kple mía fe dekɔnu.
Miniti bla ene vo atɔ̃ fe le mia fe mɔdeŋgɔ wo dzi abe facebook kple bubuawo enumake eyi me ke wo le dzim.
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Using HAKPANYA (one word in Ewe that describes poetry/spoken word/lyrics) as main material, Megborba creates a performative and interactive atmosphere inspired by mannerisms, spiritual beliefs, sounds and vocal projections by Ewes specifically of the Anlos. HAKPANYA captures in all of its essence the visual and poetic sound elements that traces and connects us to our history, origins and traditions. The 45 minutes piece intertwines live instrumentals, digital sounds and traditional drums, reimagining the visual languages and culture of the Ewes.
Kafui Chordz (ame yi wo nya tsã be Celly Chordz) yi wo dzi abe Celestine Agropah nye Ghana hadzila kple haŋlɔla.
Ke ha hatsotso yi wo wo wɔna woe nye; Afro-soul, Afro-pop, RnB,Highlife, kple Hip-pop.
Dzodzro vevie yi le eme na hadzidzi dze egɔme tso efe ɖevi me ke ye mɔnukpɔkpɔ ɖesiaɖe yi kpɔ hena hadzidzi fe wɔna woa, me fo asi o, ke mɔnukpɔkpɔ ma wo dometɔɖeka nye efe lɔ̃lɔ̃nu be ya srɔ̃ asaŋku fofo eyi me ke wo nye sukuvi le university of Ghana.
Le fe akpe eve kple wuiadea fe gɔmedzefea, eɖoe eɖokui dzi ya hadzidzi gɔme abe dɔwɔna ene ye wo de asi ha yi wo wo ŋlɔ̃ lele ɖe agbadzi me.
Kafui Chordz le fifia mea, nye hadzila yi le eɖokui si aloo yi me le hadzidɔwɔfea aɖeke te o, ye wo le klalo be ya wɔ dɔ kple asitsala ɖesiaɖe yi le hadzidzi fe wɔna wo me.
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Kafui Chordz (formerly known as Celly Chordz) born Celestine Agropah is a Ghanaian singer and songwriter. Her comfortable genres include Afro-soul, Afro-pop, RnB, Highlife and Hip hop. Her passion for music started at an early age of her life and every chance she got to do anything musical, she took it; One of those was her decision to learn how to play the piano( Keyboard) whilst a student at the University of Ghana. In early 2016, she decided to kick start her professional music journey and began recording some of the songs she had written.
KAFUI CHORDZ
2021
Dɔ yi dom ɖa me le be mia wɔ: Hadzila a ɖe hadzidzi modzaka fe wɔna yi teŋu akpɔ ŋkume kple ŋkume ne nye be wo le dziyim yi woe nye ha yi wo nye ŋtɔ me kpa le Eʋegbene. Hadziha yi me na kpɔ, ʋufola, asaŋkufola, guitar fola, kple live sound engineer yi nye ame yi kpɔa gbɔ be ʋugbewo, hadzidziwo kple bubuawo ɖia le nɔnɔme nyoie tɔ me a da megbe nee.
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The artist performs a live musical performance of her original songs, which are primarily in Ewe. She is supported by a band consisting of a drummer, a keyboardist, a guitarist, and a live sound engineer.
Geoffrey Akpene Biekro, aka Captain nye Ghana nuɖuɖuɖala yi le Ghana,wɔa efe dɔ hã le Ghana. Etso Dodome le amugãbutome, ke wo dzii le Takoradi le Western nutoame. Le adelamakpɔxe, fe akpeɖeka alafa asieke bla enyi vo eve me. Geoffrey xɔ efe Bachelor Degree le Fine Arts – BFA (Sculpture) me le fe akpe eve kple enyia me tso Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), suku kɔkɔ yi le Kumasi, Ghana afi yi ke wo wu efe MFA nu le, le fe akpe eve kple wuebyia me. Geoffrey zã nu geɖee tso wɔ nukpakpa yi wo tso plastic waste yi nye rubber gbeɖuɖɔwo tso wɔ tiles yi nye kpe yi ŋu wo tro asi le he na ɖoɖo ɖe gli nu eyi me wo nɔ suku dem le MPhil housing studies le fe akpe eve kple wuienea me. Le efe MFA practice yi nye nu yi wo srɔ̃ wɔwɔmea, ede asi numekuku kple biabiawo biabia gɔme kuɖe nɔnɔme yi nutatawo ɖeɖe ɖego hena dugbadza fe kpɔkpɔ nɔna kple amegbetɔ fe anyinɔnɔ kple kadodo yi le wo kple nuɖuɖu dome abe mɔnu yi geɖe lɔ̃lɔ̃ dzesi ɖeɖe fia le nɔnɔmetatawo me, bubuawo kple nɔnɔme ɖeɖefia etefemademadee. Efe dɔwɔwɔ yi dugbadza nya abe “captains kitchen” va kple nuwɔnawo abe nuɖaɖa kple emama le dutofo aloo gbagbagbe kple taɖodzinu be ya atsiaka kple amewo kple ye fe dɔwɔwɔ.
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Geoffrey Akpene Biekro, aka Captain is a Ghanaian food artist living and working in Ghana. Originating from Dodome in the Volta region he was born in Takoradi in the, Western Region of Ghana in November 1982. Geoffrey got his Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts – BFA (Sculpture) in 2008 from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana where he also completed his MFA in 2018. Geoffrey has experimented with many different forms of materials for sculpture including turning plastic waste into wall tiles during his education in MPhil housing studies 2014. During his MFA practice, he began an endless journey of investigating and questioning art exhibition style and human existence and its relationship with food as a window into the art world of love for the other and identity misrepresentation. His performances popularly known as “captains kitchen” comes with activities of cooking and serving food in open spaces to engage the public with his artwork.
Cooking Session: CAPTAIN
2021
Dɔ yi dom ɖa me le be mia wɔ: Nɔviwɔwɔ
Abe Eʋe vi ene, Eʋe nuɖuɖu geɖee wo de nyɔnyɔ captain me. Hena “Where I’m coming from” WICM (afi yi ke me tso), e de dotofo Nɔviwɔwɔ wɔna dome. Le wɔna ya me, Captains’ Kitchen a ɖe Eʋe nuɖuɖu aɖe ɖe go yi wo ɖe ŋkɔ na be “yakeyake” nuɖuɖu yi wo wɔ tso agbeli me. Le efe yakeyake nyanya mea, e de dzesi be, eɖuɖu enye lɔlɔ̃ ̃ kple anukoare ɖiɖi na ame ɖokui elebena ahiã dzigbɔɖi. Kuɖe nya ya nua, nye fe lɔlɔ̃ ̃ na nu ɖaɖa kple e mama kple amewo le vevie, eyi me ma tsɔ nuɖuɖu ɖe nufofo tefe a tsɔ de lɔlɔ̃ ̃ kple dzeɖoɖo vivĩwo amekpekpeawo do me ne nye be wɔna wo le dziyim.
Nuɖaɖa a yi dzi le pIAR fe afe me yi woa kpe du yi le efe gologuiwo. Mia ɖanua le coal pot yi nye akadzo dzi le gbagbagbe kple ze yi wo tso ɖaa yakeyake. Wo ɖana yakeyake kple tsi yi do na le tsi yi le fiefiem me. Eya megbe woa ɖe de etre me, ama na dukɔ le amakpame be woa kpɔ go me le lɔlɔ̃ nuɖuɖukɔkɔea me.̃
Agbelima yi nye yakeyake ɖa nu vevie tɔ ɖeka atso amugãnutoame yi a zɔ mɔ abe kilomita alafa etɔ̃ hafi aɖo Kumasi pIAR fe afe me. Nu yi woa tsɔ ɖui anye vegetable stew yi nye atadi yi wo wɔ kple Toma, carrot, kple bubuawo aloo agbametadi kple akpa aloo ʋlo. Nuɖaɖa adze egɔme tso ŋdɔ ga wuieve va se ɖe ŋdɔ ga ɖeka kple afã eyi me woa ma ŋdɔ nuɖuɖu. Wo bia tso amesiame si be woa kpɔ nua ɖaɖa tefe yi ayidzi le pIAR fe afe me le gbagbagbe yi wo ga bia hã be amesiame na de asi nuaɖaɖa eme. Nuaɖuɖu anɔ cocktail yi nye nuɖuɖu vovovowo ɖuɖu ɖekae fe nɔnɔme ye nuɖulawo kpɔ mɔ aɖodze kple wo nɔewo, eya aɖe nɔviwɔwɔ afia.
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As an Ewe Captain has been so much inspired by many of the local Ewe traditional dishes. For WICF, he creates “Nɔviwɔwɔ”(companionship) a genial social events happening. For this project captain’s kitchen presents a local Ewe dish “yakeyake”, steamed pudding made out of cassava. His encounter with that of “yakeyake” is a mixed feeling of love and truth to the self because eating it requires patient and flexibility.
They cook on coal pot in the open and with a locally made cooking pot specially for preparing “yakeyake”. The “yakeyake” is prepared over steam. The pudding is then kept in a gourd and served in leaves for the community to participate in the communion of love. The “agbɛlima” fresh cassava dough which is the main ingredient comes all the way from the Volta region and travel across a distance of about 300km. Eating is done in a cocktail manner with participants free to interact. This practice allows the community bringing to life Nɔviwɔwɔ.
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