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