Absa Bank spotlights Ezra Appiah’s solo exhibition at L’Atelier event

A new exhibition by Ghanaian artist Ezra Appiah will invite audiences to revisit the memories and stories held in family photographs, as Ghanaian photographer and environmental activist Reginald Boateng joins the 2026 Absa Bank L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winners.

Titled Family Album: A New and a Reborn Version, the exhibition will run from 7 to 27 November 2026 at The Mix Design Hub in Accra. Appiah, a 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winner, is presenting his first solo exhibition with Absa L’Atelier Art in Ghana following a two-month residency at the Kromdraai Creativity and Impact Hub in South Africa.

In the exhibition, Appiah draws on childhood memories and archival family photographs to examine how people remember and make sense of family life. Through montage, he brings past and present together, looking beyond the moments traditionally preserved in family albums to consider the relationships and experiences that often remain unseen. The work asks audiences to reflect on how photographs preserve memories while also shaping the stories families talk about themselves.

“I saw a reflection of self, a reliving of personal experiences that I then translated to thoughts and showed through visuals. So, I hope everyone sees what I see and that this work inspires them to do the same,” says Appiah.

Born in Sekondi-Takoradi and based in Kumasi, Appiah completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) in Painting at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2022. He is a member of the blaxTARLINES collective and has exhibited in Ghana and internationally.

Ezra Appiah

The exhibition also comes as Ghana celebrates Reginald Boateng’s selection as a 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award winner. Boateng was one of three recipients announced at the Absa L’Atelier Art & Lifestyle Fair at Waterfall City Park in South Africa on 10 October.

A photographer and environmental activist, Boateng draws inspiration from Ghanaian kente colours and coastal life. His work Our Water Turns Red, displayed at this year’s Fair, uses red water to draw attention to the environmental damage caused by illegal gold mining in Ghana.

Boateng’s award includes four months of mentorship with a leading visual arts practitioner, an international residency with the other two 2026 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassadors, masterclasses and a laptop. He will also have the opportunity to stage a solo exhibition in 2028, with Absa contributing $6,000 towards materials.

Dr Paul Bayliss, Absa’s Senior Art and Museum Curator, said the exhibition demonstrates how sustained support can help artists develop their work and connect with audiences.

“Supporting an artist means creating opportunities for them to develop their work and share it with audiences. Ezra’s exhibition in Ghana shows what that support can make possible, from his residency to presenting a new body of work in his home country,” says Dr Bayliss. “As we celebrate 40 years of Absa L’Atelier Art, it is particularly rewarding to see Ezra reach this moment while welcoming Reginald Boateng as a 2026 Ambassador Award winner. Their distinct perspectives demonstrate the strength of Ghanaian artistic talent and why we continue to invest in opportunities for emerging African artists. Their stories deserve to be seen and heard.”

Established in 1986 through a partnership between Absa and the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), Absa L’Atelier Art is the longest-running pan-African art competition and marks its 40th anniversary in 2026. The platform supports emerging artists’ professional development and helps them reach new audiences.

Ambassador Award winners receive mentorship, intensive masterclasses led by international experts and a two-month international residency. They may also stage a solo exhibition within two years of winning, with up to $6,000 towards exhibition materials and the majority of artwork sales proceeds going to the artist.

As part of the programme in Accra, Absa L’Atelier will host an artists’ masterclass on 5 November at the Absa Ghana Regional Office, followed by an art buyers’ masterclass on 7 November at The Mix Design Hub. The sessions are intended to help emerging artists develop their careers and give collectors a better understanding of the art market.