German Ambassador to Ghana celebrates Ibrahim Mahama’s Arnold Bode Prize, highlights longstanding Germany ties

German Ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshöft, has hosted a reception in Accra to celebrate Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama following his receipt of the 2026 Arnold Bode Prize, one of Germany’s prestigious contemporary art awards.

The reception, held earlier this week at the Ambassador’s residence, brought together guests to recognise Mr Mahama’s contribution to contemporary art and his efforts to develop cultural institutions and support emerging artists in Ghana.

The event hosted by Mr Landshöft and his wife featured a presentation by the artist and a discussion with German visual artist based in Accra, Rebekka Macht.

The Ambassador described Mr Mahama as a fitting recipient of the award, praising his artistic vision, willingness to pursue ambitious projects and commitment to investing in the next generation of artists.

He particularly highlighted the artist’s ability to transform objects from the past by giving them new contexts and meanings, citing his installation Parliament of Ghosts as a personal favourite.

Mr Landshöft said the work’s representation of a parliament as a space where different voices and generations meet resonated with his own experience working in and around the German Parliament for 15 years.

He also praised Mr Mahama’s efforts to establish cultural institutions in Tamale through Red Clay, the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) and Nkrumah Volini.

According to him, the institutions are creating opportunities for young people in northern Ghana to learn, experiment and develop their artistic ideas, away from the traditional centres of the international art world.

The Ambassador said Mr Mahama’s work in northern Ghana demonstrated the importance of building cultural infrastructure and creating platforms for emerging artists.

Ibrahim Mahama’s longstanding relationship with Germany

Mr Landshöft also highlighted the artist’s longstanding professional relationship with Germany, which dates back several years.

In 2017, Mr Mahama transformed Kassel’s historic Torwache building with a monumental installation made from used jute sacks as part of documenta 14, the internationally recognised contemporary art exhibition.

The same year, he joined the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Programme, followed by an exhibition at the daadgalerie in 2018.

His continued collaboration with the Goethe-Institut has further strengthened his artistic and cultural links with Germany.

The Ambassador connected these engagements to the legacy of Arnold Bode, who founded documenta in Kassel in 1955 to create a new platform for art and artistic exchange following the Second World War.

He said there was a particular significance in an award named after Bode being presented to an artist who is also building cultural institutions and creating opportunities for artistic exchange.

Mr Landshöft described the relationship between Mr Mahama and Germany as an example of how sustained cultural exchange can promote artistic freedom, critical dialogue and new perspectives on shared histories.

He congratulated the artist on the recognition, praising his commitment to reinterpreting history through art and investing in the development of Ghana’s creative sector.