Not New, Always Here: Ancestral Abstractions

Takoradi Global Arts Inaugural Exhibition

Godwin A. Sowah, Untitled, 2017. Acrylic on canvas.

September 9–15, 2026
Opening Reception: September 10, 6–9pm
Director & Curator Talk: September 12, 2–3pm
183 Gallery, Toronto
Tickets and more information

Takoradi Global Arts presents Not New, Always Here: Ancestral Abstractions, its inaugural exhibition, curated by Andreann Asibey of Studio Kilombo. Bringing together works by Kwaku Addai, Prince Asher, Mildor Chevalier, Martin Kofi Dartey, Victor Odoi, Celestin Santé and Godwin A. Sowah, the exhibition explores abstraction as a longstanding and evolving mode of African artistic expression.

For too long, African abstraction has been approached through the language of arrival, often introduced as rediscovered, newly recognised, or measured against European and North American histories that continue to occupy the centre of art historical narratives. Not New, Always Here challenges this framing, proposing that contemporary African artists are not entering the history of abstraction; they are extending, transforming and reimagining histories that have always been present.

Martin Dartey, Pot of Gold, 2019, Acrylic on canvas, 48″ x 24″

Across painting and mixed media, the artists engage with place, spirituality, sound, memory, ecology and everyday life. Their practices reveal abstraction as more than a formal language. It becomes a way of seeing, thinking, remembering, making and relating. Working within living continuities, the artists draw from urban life and ancestral memory, political struggle and ecological knowledge, migration and intimacy, while expanding the possibilities of abstraction in the present.

At a time when contemporary African art is increasingly visible within museums, biennials and the global art market, portraiture and figuration have often remained central to how African painting is encountered and understood. Not New, Always Here looks beyond this frame, inviting audiences to consider abstraction on its own terms. African Art is more than ethnographical or “market” art. It’s not new; it’s always been here.

The exhibition marks the beginning of Takoradi Global Arts’ exhibition programme and its commitment to creating greater visibility, context and opportunity for contemporary African and diasporic artists.

Come visit and spend time with us as we open a new chapter for African art in Toronto.

Related Programming

Opening Reception
Thursday, September 10, 6–9pm
183 Gallery, Toronto
Register

Join us for the opening of Not New, Always Here: Ancestral Abstractions, the inaugural exhibition of Takoradi Global Arts. Bringing together contemporary African and diasporic artists, the exhibition considers abstraction as an enduring and evolving practice shaped by memory, place, spirituality, ecology and lived experience.

Come celebrate the launch of Takoradi Global Arts with us, with refreshments prepared by Chef Amanda of Edible Bliss (@ediblebliss11) throughout the evening.

Curator and Director Talk and Walkthrough
Saturday, September 12, 2–3pm
183 Gallery, Toronto
Register

Join Takoradi Global Arts founder and director Joanne Abbensetts and curator Andreann Asibey for a conversation about the story behind Takoradi Global Arts and its inaugural exhibition, Not New, Always Here: Ancestral Abstractions. Joanne will share what inspired her to start collecting contemporary African art, how the collection has grown, and her vision for building connections between artists, collectors and audiences across Africa and the diaspora. Together, Joanne and Andreann will also discuss the artists featured in the exhibition, the works that caught their attention, and the ideas that brought the exhibition together.

Asher, Symbolic Dance, undated, Acrylic on canvas, 32″ x 44″

About Takoradi Global Arts

Founded and directed by Joanne Abbensetts in November 2025, Takoradi Global Arts is an art collection and nomadic gallery rooted in contemporary African expression. Bringing together artists and perspectives from across the African continent and its diasporas, the collection celebrates the plurality, experimentation and richness of contemporary African artistic practice.

Takoradi Global Arts
Toronto, Canada
takoradiarts.com
info@takoradiarts.com
647-518-0378

Facebook @takoradiglobalarts
Instagram @takoradiarts

183 Gallery
183 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M5A 1S2
amazingmosspark.ca
amazingmosspark@gmail.com

Accessibility:
Please note that 183 Gallery is not accessible as there are a few number of stairs to access the exhibition and reception space. Please feel free to reach out to drea@studiokilombo.com with any access requests, service needs, or inquiries.

Creative Direction by Danilo Deluxo