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An expedition through Prince Kojo-Hilton’s world of art
Prince Kojo-Hilton is not new to the art industry. He has over 18 years experience as an innovative Art Director, producing dynamic visuals for both theatre and film projects.
He is an expert in graphic design, art direction and project management with his works gaining local and international recognition.
Today, The Spectator delves into his artistic background while focusing on one of his works known as the ‘Amanua’, produced in May 2020, to celebrate the hard work of health workers in Africa for their dedication to the fight against COVID-19.
Artwork
The piece of art gives a summary of the genesis and exodus of the corona virus in Africa and is described as “a historical piece that must be well secured while taking a tour around the world.”
The name AMANUA, according to the artist is of Ga origin and an acronym for “Art Movement Against Novel-coronavirus Upon Africa.”
He believes the “true duty” of an artist is to solve problems hence the decision to initiate the project as a contribution towards combating the deadly disease. Mr Hilton said he intended to auction the piece of art and donate the funds to health workers.
Elements of the colourful painting, he explained, include “a graveyard with dead creepy trees, representing the millions of lives lost or otherwise impacted by the pandemic, and the overall decimation of economies worldwide.”
‘Amanua’ depicts a nurse armed with a sword and shield as she cuts a virus particle behind her into two. With a stethoscope around her neck, a breast watch, and her name tag, ‘AMANUA’, the nurse stands on a rock with cracks on the surface.
The rock, he says, signifies the government, World Health Organisation and the many institutions working to combat the disease while the cracks refer to challenges the government and organisations face.
Among several other relatable ideas, the art again has the Adinkra Symbol, “Gye Nyame”, meaning “Except God” symbolising the gravity of the pandemic and the content or orgin of the Art piece.
Apart from the attractive concepts, the Afrocentric ‘Amanua’ masterpiece, according to the designer, represents courage and sacrifice.
Background
Prince Kojo-Hilton is a product of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) with a major in Art Direction and Production Design (2014).
Due to his hard work, passion and creativity, he had the opportunity to understudy his uncle, Dr. Johnson Edu, at the Technical Department of the National Theatre, Accra. From this point, he took his career to another level.
He studied scenic design, props design, make-up and special effects, set design and construction, among others. He had, over the years, applied his skills on a number of projects and has gained recognition as the first artist to create “the first ever man-made Volcano in Africa” for the Guinness’ Big Eruption Concert in Accra.
He has worked on a number of films, TV commercials, TV studio sets, music videos, theatre productions and many live stage events.
Describing himself as “a hard worker with great time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines,” he says he enjoys working within organisations with opportunities for professional development and job satisfaction.
Experience
Adding to his repertoire, he has worked as a Scenic Artist with Hollywood Directors of The Matrix Trilogy (the Wachowskis) on the science fiction series ‘Sense 8’ which was shot in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2014.
As an art advocate, he has trained and mentored many young talents in Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Kenya, and South Africa.
In August 2021, he was sworn in as a Special Envoy by the United Nations Youth Association of Ghana (UNYA-GH) at the International Youth Day Celebration held at the Accra International Conference Centre.
In 2020, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the International Forum for Creativity and Humanity, Morocco and again received the ‘2020 Extraordinary People Award’ by La Expose Productions, USA.
He was adjudged Production Designer of the Year in 2016 at the Osagyefo Pan Africa Eminence Awards, and in 2017, he received an Honorary Award from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon.
Recognition
He is the Pan African Art Ambassador – Pan African Republic Honorary Awards, a Lifetime achievement Award he received from The Confederation of Governance Assessment Institute since 2019.
He was nominated for Gold Coast Excellence Awards in 2019, and received also the 40 Under 40 Award for the Theatre and Arts category in 2019.
University of Yale awarded him a Citation of Inspiration in 2018. Same year, two of his best stage design works were selected and displayed at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in Czech Republic.
As African Section for Set Design and Costume, 2019, in Nigeria, he was celebrated as a Living Legend by the World Institute of Peace and became the recipient of the World Icon of Peace Award.
Other events and Projects initiated by Kojo-Hilton include: Supports Arts Foundation (SAF), The Arts Legendary Wall of Fame Honours, The CombArt Show, Hilton Honorary Art Awards, Pan African States University of Art (PASUA) and The Community Art Festival (TCAF), among others.
He is the Founder of Visual Art Students Empowerment Project (VASEP) and former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of Ghana Association of Visual Artists (GAVA).
By Spectator Reporter
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced its return to the platforms of Media General following what it describes as successful reconciliation talks between the two sides.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Koduah, made the announcement during an interview on one of the company’s programmes, TV3.
His appearance marks the end of a standoff that kept the NPP away from the media house for about a year.
Mr. Frimpong Koduah explained that after the elections, the party decided to stay away from the station until further notice.
He said during that period, there were several discussions between the party and the management of Media General to resolve their differences.
According to him, the party’s Director of Communications was instructed to issue an official statement confirming that the NPP had “smoked the peace pipe” with Media General and would return to its platforms.
“As General Secretary and chief spokesperson of the party, I needed to appear on the show for the rank and file of our party to know that indeed the NPP is back to Media General,” he said.
He added that party members should not be alarmed when they see NPP communicators appearing on the station’s programmes.
He stressed that the decision to return is official and based on a gentleman’s agreement reached by both parties.
Mr. Frimpong Koduah noted that both the political party and the media house need each other to function effectively in a democracy.
He expressed hope that going forward, there would be mutual respect and a level playing field in their relationship.
He urged the media house to engage the right party officials when seeking the NPP’s position on national issues.
According to him, some individuals in the past claimed to speak for the party but did not represent its official position.
In a related development, management of Media General issued a statement welcoming the NPP’s decision to return.
The statement said the company has consistently upheld high standards of journalism ethics, fearless reporting and impartial coverage.
The company assured the public of its continued commitment to truth and fairness.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Government Communicator , Dr Sammy Ayeh, has defended the decision to recall Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mohammed Baba Jamal, amid public debate over alleged vote buying issues linked to the Ayawaso contest.
Dr Ayeh dismissed suggestions that the recall should be compared to the case of Hajia Amina Adam, who has been mentioned by some commentators as a government appointee.
He argued that the comparison does not hold because the two roles are not the same.
He questioned claims that Hajia Amina Adam serves on three boards, stating that only the Hajj Board has been publicly identified.
He indicated that there was no clear evidence to support assertions that she holds multiple board positions.
According to Dr Ayeh, Baba Jamal’s former position as High Commissioner carried a different level of responsibility.
He explained that a high commissioner represents the President and Ghana’s image abroad, which he described as distinct from board membership.
He maintained that the recall should therefore not be interpreted as unfair or inconsistent treatment.
In his view, the nature of Baba Jamal’s diplomatic role justified separate consideration.
By: Jacob Aggrey
