Art Africa Gallery spotlights women’s struggles, breast cancer awareness through ‘She Carries the Market’ exhibition

Art Africa Gallery has held the fourth edition of its Colour Cure exhibition, using art to spotlight the responsibilities women bear in society and raise awareness about breast cancer. The exhibition, themed She Carries the Market, features works by seven female artists – Abena Oyiwaa, Betty Acquah, Vicki Adoe, Fauziya Fliege, Serene Kalme, Nyornuwofia and Charity Derby Akeiti – as well as documentary photographer Ask Photos.

The works explore the often-overlooked labour, resilience and experiences of women. Speaking on behalf of the gallery, Partner Manager and co-curator, Henry Kwaku Duah, said the initiative was established by Ghana’s Ambassador to South Korea, Kojo Choi, to amplify women’s stories, support female artists and promote breast cancer awareness. He said this year’s theme draws inspiration from Makola Market, where women traders and kayayei carry heavy physical loads while shouldering responsibilities that extend beyond their livelihoods.

“Sometimes, we see women only from the outside and fail to recognise what they carry within. From the market to the home and the workplace, women bear responsibilities that deserve greater appreciation,” he said. Mr Duah said the theme was intended to resonate with all women, including those balancing formal employment with childcare and household duties.

He urged the public to visit the gallery and purchase artworks, noting that a portion of sales would support breast cancer awareness through Sonotech Medical Centre. He said the exhibition also benefited from partnerships with Samsung, PaySwitch Company Limited, Data Bloom Africa and other organisations, which he hoped would help build a lasting community around art and breast cancer advocacy.

Co-curator Sarah Emefa King, known as Sasa, said the exhibition was personal, having witnessed breast cancer affect members of her family and participated as an artist in Colour Cure two years ago. She praised the eight exhibitors for bringing distinct perspectives to the theme, from the raw realities documented by Ask Photos to the expressive paintings of established artists Betty Acquah and Vicki Adoe, alongside emerging voices.

“Each artist brings something different. Photography captures the realities around us, while painting allows us to imagine possibilities beyond hardship. Together, these works show that women cannot be confined to one image or expectation,” she said. Documentary photographer Ask Photos said her participation was a way of contributing to breast cancer advocacy, stressing that the disease could affect anyone.

“I feel people sometimes believe sickness will never touch them. But cancer could absolutely affect me, too. By contributing a percentage of my art sales, I can support the work being done in breast cancer awareness,” she said. Veteran artist Betty Acquah, exhibiting at Colour Cure for the fourth time, said her three works reflected women’s strength and determination.

Her piece Balancing Act draws on the agility and resilience of kayayei who carry heavy loads, sometimes without using their hands to steady them. “I wish I could give more towards breast cancer awareness. For now, we are contributing a percentage of sales, and I hope we can do more in the future,” she said. For first-time exhibitor Abena Oyiwaa, a self-taught artist who has painted for five years, the inspiration lies in the invisible labour and social pressures women endure.

Her work explores the tension between society’s expectations around education, marriage and motherhood and women’s personal aspirations. “I want to show the beautiful chaos of being a woman, especially an African woman, and what we go through beyond our appearance and what people see,” she said. The exhibition brought together the CEO of PaySwitch Company Limited, Mr Aaron Demenu; the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana; the spouses of the Turkish and Danish ambassadors to Ghana; and other artists.

The exhibition opened to the public on October 24 and is scheduled to run for one month, through November 23, 2026.