Arms Around The Child Artists Residency Presents:
Josh Akpor “When Hunger Was Laughed At”
From 25th April to 31st May 2025, Ghanaian artist Josh Akpor presented When Hunger Was Laughed at – an exhibition of 25 paintings and 4 sculptures created during his artist residency with Arms Around the Child in Senya Beraku.
Hosted in the Museum of Science and Technology, Accra, and curated by Zahra Faye, When Hunger Was Laughed At drew inspiration from the Homowo Festival, celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana as a remembrance of famine and a celebration of survival. Akpor, known for his bold figurative compositions and layered use of mixed media, turned his lens towards community, ancestry, and the visual language of resilience. Through garments, posture, colour, and setting – his portraits captured a people who continue to show up for tradition: with pride, strength, and memory in their gaze.
Working primarily on treated denim canvases with the addition of clay and paint, Akpor builds depth not just in surface but in meaning. Clay, used here as both material and metaphor, speaks to earth, origin, and the shaping of stories that are meant to last. The paintings echo the power of public ritual, but do not romanticise it. Instead, Akpor presents scenes that feel lived-in: a boy perched beneath the robes of elders, a woman surrounded by music and kin, a quiet intensity in the eyes of a man dressed in full regalia. There is a celebration here, but it is not performative.
The exhibition was a resounding success. The opening night was attended by many, including some of the staff and children from Becky’s Home and the Christian Atsu Educational Centre, where the residency takes place and where Akpor had run workshops for the children supported by the charity. It was an incredibly special moment for them to be able to experience a vital part of the residency and its fundraising efforts, and to see Josh’s full body of works – many of which were inspired by them. Some of the children had also prepared a dance to perform – as you can see below!
In addition, the exhibition was so successful that the opportunity was granted for When Hunger Was Laughed At to extend for another week.
As a result of the exhibition’s success – many pieces have sold and have found new homes in both Ghana and abroad, helping to raise vital funds for Arms Around The Child’s work.
“This exhibition honours the courage it takes not only to survive hardship but to turn it into something sacred. These works are rooted in a festival that hoots at hunger and refuses to be silenced by the past,” – Zahra Faye.
“Josh Akpor’s work is a powerful tribute to the resilience of community and culture. At Arms Around The Child, we believe in creating platforms where creativity meets purpose—and Josh’s residency has done just that. His paintings speak of survival, of memory, and of joy reclaimed. It has been an honour to witness his deep engagement with the children we support, and to see their spirit reflected in his extraordinary work. This exhibition doesn’t just mark the end of a residency—it marks the beginning of something enduring.” – Ellie Milner, Arms Around The Child’s Global Director.
“We believe in supporting creativity that speaks to community, culture, and resilience. Partnering with Arms Around The Child and Josh Akpor for this exhibition reflects our commitment to Ghana and to the power of art to inspire and uplift. We’re proud to stand behind a project that gives so much back.” Frank Runge, Chairman of SONO Global, Sponsor of Arms Around The Child.
Read more about some of Josh’s works below:
The Homowo Guardian: This title refers to the individuals who uphold the traditions and customs of the festival. They are seen as protectors of the culture, ensuring that the essence of Homowo is preserved and celebrated.
Josh Akpor, ‘Tradition in Transition’ – One of Josh’s favourite pieces from his collection – this phrase reflects the dynamic nature of cultural practices, particularly in the context of the Homowo festival. While the festival honors long-standing traditions, it also adapts to contemporary influences and changing societal values. This transition allows the Ga people to maintain their identity while embracing modernity, illustrating how traditions can evolve without losing their core significance. This piece was inspired by the children at the Christian Atsu Education Centre – on the one hand, by how culture and tradition is passed on to younger generations. On the other hand, Josh used his signature red clay, denim and oil paints for this piece, but allowed the children’s own approach to art to inspire him. He watched them during their workshops and noted how freely they worked, unafraid to make mistakes but rather learn as their work unfolded. Akpor tried to adopt this freedom as he created this piece.
While still riding the wave of the success of the exhibition, Josh was invited to exhibit a handful of his pieces from the residency at the EMY Africa Expo at the Accra International Conference Centre at the end of June!
“EMY Africa has evolved into a multifaceted platform committed to celebrating excellence, promoting leadership, and shaping culture across Africa and the diaspora. What began as an awards ceremony has expanded into a far-reaching movement that inspires, empowers, and connects individuals, businesses, and communities through storytelling, events, recognition, and thought leadership.
Over the past decade, EMY Africa has engaged and honoured some of the most distinguished names in African and global leadership, business, arts, sports, media, and social impact. From presidents, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to changemakers, creators and young innovators, our work cuts across generations and sectors – all driven by one guiding mission: to inspire greatness.” – EMY Africa Expo.
One of the pieces that Josh submitted was Eyes Forward, Spirits Behind.
This title encapsulates the essence of the Homowo festival, which is fundamentally a celebration of the harvest. The Ga people express gratitude for the bountiful yields of their farms, symbolizing not just physical abundance but also spiritual wealth and community prosperity. The festival serves as a reminder of the blessings received and the importance of sharing these blessings with the community.
Akpor and the Arms Around The Child Artist Residency now turn our sights to Autumn 2025 – for an incredibly special group exhibition in Accra titled The Language & Image of Us. Held during Accra Cultural Week and hosted in partnership with LaFa Foundation – the exhibition will showcase the work of talented Ghanaian and diaspora artists to a broad local and international audience. Zahra Faye (LaFa) and Jason Colchin-Carter (Arms Around The Child Art Residency Co-founder) are curating the exhibition, while we are delighted that UNESCO will be one of the sponsors of the event.
Josh Akpor will be among the artists submitting pieces exploring the themes of identity, both personal and collective; and the ways language (spoken, erased, reimagined) and image (projected, distorted, reclaimed) shape who we are. What have we inherited? What are we resisting? What are we choosing to become?
Children are central to this exhibition, not as symbols, but as participants in the conversation. How they are seen, how they see themselves, and what kind of visual and linguistic world they are growing up within.
The Language & Image of Us isn’t just about visibility, it’s about authorship. It invites artists to reflect on how they’ve been spoken for, represented and misrepresented, and how they’re now reclaiming that narrative.
The Language & Image of Us is not only an art show, but a platform for showcasing Ghanaian and diaspora artists to global collectors and curators; aligning creative work with meaningful social impact; and raising funds for Arms Around The Child’s work supporting vulnerable children and mothers in Ghana.
Artist Statement – Josh Adjetey Akpor
Josh Adjetey Akpor is a contemporary artist from the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A graduate of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Akpor is a member of the artist collective blaxTarlines KUMASI. He currently lives and works in Teshie, where his practice explores themes of the human body, memory, identity, and the relationships we build, with others, with nature, and with ourselves.
His work often involves models and self portraiture, using painting as a method of self- exploration and reflection. He is interested in how materials can carry meaning, and his mixed media approach blends red clay, oil paint, acrylic gloss, and burnt wood to create layered, textured surfaces. Akpor also paints on unconventional supports, particularly denim, which adds depth and tactility to his compositions and reflects his interest in the everyday.
His visual language is shaped by questions of memory and encounter. His paintings are moments of tension, care, and introspection. By combining traditional and experimental materials, Akpor creates work that feels both grounded and questioning, drawing viewers into the quiet intensity of his figures and the stories they hold.