Kobina Hagan is a student artist of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. He served as the student body president of the Association of Students of Performing Arts (2019 - 2020). His main focus in art is Directing and Creative Writing. His art is existential in the knowing of African aesthetics and it values. As an artistic provocateur, his works trend on the avant-garde theories.
His presentation was to create awareness towards African aesthetics and values, and reasons why African Artists are not just mere artists but media between the african society and it's surrounding rhythms.
Kobina Hagan's presentation on The African Artist As Part Of The Contemporary World is summarized below.
What is Art?
With regards to this Koibina defined art as anything that communicates to a person's soul: in conclusion, he said: if anything is art, nothing is art.
Who is an Artist?
Kobina defined an artist as someone who produces a work of art. Having built on the above points, he spoke extensively on who an African Artist is, which he began by explaining who an African is. With this he said, an African is one who is born in Africa, lives in Africa and is a citizen of Africa.
However, according to him, being an African Artist is not as lucid as being an African, but an African Artist is aware of the African values and the importance of Art in the world of an African. An African Artist has a message, a past, a story to tell and a people to educate.
Further, an African Artists understands that African Art shouldn't be mere entertainment but an avenue for learning and an Avenue to communicate and make a change in the society.
Thus people who are not Africans cannot write African stories, but can only write about Africa, for an African Artists write about their experience as Africans.Kobina also mentioned that before an African artist is known internationally, he has to be national and, that is to know his values.
As an African Artists the first step in knowing our art is knowing ourselves: who we are as Africans. A good Artists is one who is vulnerable to his flaws one who understands what makes him think.
He concluded by saying; the African communicates with the whole aspect of their being, both physical and spiritual, as the African is a spiritual being.
Thus the African Artists is not only a representation of the spiritual world but a media between the physical and spiritual world.
His challenge
One challenge major challenge Kobina identified is finding himself as an African in a world where we are expected to be globally involved. In response to a question about how the African Artist can break boundaries and blend in, Kobina made it clear that the African Artists should not blend in with the Contemporary times.The African Artist has to exist in the Contemporary times. For one to blend in is to compromise, but the African Artists must rather stand out. Again, an African Artist can only exist as an African because he understands and know the values of the African society, and is not Influenced by European constructs and ideals.
On the issue about African Artists blending in to gain international recognition Kobina responded by saying; we don't need people to recognize us because we are trying to copy them. We gain true recognition when we are ourselves.Thus African Artists should come out with their own identity and not be a reflection.
Again he said It takes a personal conviction to be ourselves as Africans, since our education is rooted in Western culture. With this, he said we make it a point to create awareness with the people around us, using our art as a message to stand out and make a statement.
In conclusion, Kobina said: the African Artists should go as African Artists who understand Art in the concept of Africa, people whose works embody the African values and system
In a nutshell, an African Artist in the Contemporary world is one who knows himself and can stand out as an African.
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