GUS SARKODEE
Curated by Edem Dake
Street Gallery is thrilled to present Augustus (Gus) Poku Sarkodee’s exhibition SOUL SOUNDS: THE SYMPHONIC CONVERGENCE OF MAN AND MUSIC, a photographic project curated by Edem Dake. The exhibition will open on November 22 at the exhibition wall of the Street Gallery located in Fabrika.
Sarkodee’s interest in addressing the nuanced sociocultural experiences of his immediate environment informs his reflective and commemorative approach to image-making. With his lens focused this time on the undeniably critical role of music and musicianship in various facets of the Ghanaian culture, Sarkodee embarks on a voyage to re-visualize the transformative power of music and the palpable transcendental connection existing between the instrument, its maestro, and the listener. Traversing multiple genres and musical styles, the project acknowledges the diversity of music in a fusion of West African and Western instruments like the dondo, axatse, kashaka, clarinet, violin, saxophone, grand piano, and do. Although he is known typically for his use of vibrant bursts of color in his previous works, Sarkodee intentionally deviates from this approach into the dimension of the monochrome, still with strong compositional elements and storytelling. The collective endeavor of Sarkodee, producer, and designer Nicole Dede Coffie, and makeup artist Judah Odei are the lynchpin of this project and symbolic of artistry thriving in the community.
ABOUT GUS SARKODEE
Augustus Poku Sarkodee (b. 2000) is a Ghanaian photographer who lives and works in Accra, Ghana. Driven by his love for photography, Sarkodee has organically and autonomously grown his practice with a distinct style characterized by rich conceptual and contemporary influences. Color plays a vital role in Sarkodee’s practice. Growing up surrounded by bursts of vibrant hues from his mother’s business as a children’s event planner, he explores the ways various colors interact to create unique perspectives and experiences. Sarkodee is a recipient of the 7th Fine Art Photography Award in the amateur conceptual photography category. His work is featured in the PhotoVogue digital exhibition “Your 501® Story”, in collaboration with Levi’s, and in feature articles by Okay Africa, VSCO, Guap, and Notion magazine. Sarkodee also forms a part of the pioneering class of VISA Creator Program digital-first creators.