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London 2015

  • 1-54 Forum 2015
  • Exhibitors 2015
  • Sponsors 2015

Ataa Oko

Born in 1919 in La, Ghana. Died in 2012 near Accra, Ghana.

Ataa Oko, 'Untitled (deux têtes aux petits traits)', 2008, Pencil on paper, 21 x 29,7 cm, Courtesy Regula Tschumi and Magnin-A 

Ataa Oko was born in La, a town near Accra, Ghana. He worked as a fisherman, then as an employee in cocoa plantations. Apprentice carpenter since 1936, he made his first figurative coffins around 1945 and open his own workshop in his hometown. Growing old, he makes more rarely coffins, only on occasional command.

Ataa Oko began his graphic work at of eighty-three years old, after meeting in 2002 with the ethnologist Regula Tschumi who was then conducting research on funerary sculptures. She asked him to draw from memory the personalized figurative coffins he built while he was carpenter: one in the shape of a fish for a fisherman, another one representing a tomato for a farmer. Over time, the author freed himself from his memories to leave space to an abundance of brightly colored new topics: fantastic animals, characters and imaginary beings, sometimes monstrous. Ataa Oko worked with Regula Tschumi until his death in December 2012.

Selected Artists

Leon Krige

Masimba Hwati

Bouabdellah, Zoulikha

Mehdi Melhaoui

Option Nyahunzvi

Bobson Sukhdeo Mohanlall

Lyndi Sales

Pinto, Mauro

Artists 2015

  • A

    • Aboudia
    • Adalberto Ferreira (Toy Boy)
    • Adam Madebe
    • Agbodjelou, Leonce Raphael
    • Andrianomearisoa, Joël
    • Anthony Lane
    • Apenouvon, Clay
    • Arlene Wandera
    • Ataa Oko
  • B

    • Ba, Omar
    • Bandoma, Steve
    • Barthélemy Toguo
    • Ben Khelil, Yesmine
    • Ben Rejeb, Lina
    • Benbouchta, Amina
    • Berhanu, Merikokeb
    • Bobson Sukhdeo Mohanlall
    • Bondo, Vitshois Mwilambwe
    • Bouabdellah, Zoulikha
    • Bouderbala, Meriem
    • Boutté, Nathalie
    • Bright Ugochukwu Eke
    • Bruce Clarke
  • C

    • Chamekh, Nidhal
    • Chihota, Virginia
  • D

    • Daniel Blom
    • Deborah Bell
    • Demola Ogunajo
    • Dicko, Saidou
    • Diop, Omar Victor
    • Douglas Camp, Sokari
    • Dükü, Ernest
    • Durant Basi Sihlali
  • E

    • Edson Chagas
    • EL Loko
    • Emma Amos
    • Eric Pina
    • Eyongakpa, Em’Kal
  • F

    • Francisco Van-Dùnem (Van)
    • Franck Abd-Bakar Fanny
    • François-Xavier Gbré
  • G

    • Gaba, Meschac
    • Gakunga, Naomi Wanjiku
    • Gasteli, Jellel
    • Glover, Ablade
    • Guerresi, Maïmouna
  • H

    • Hajjaj, Hassan
    • Hassan Musa
    • Hazoumè, Romuald
    • Hennie Niemann Jnr
    • Hervé Yamguen
    • Hervé Youmbi
  • I

    • Ibrahim Mahama
    • Ingrid Mwangi
  • J

    • Jackson, Ayana V.
    • James Muriuki
    • Jasse, Délio
    • Jebila Okongwu
    • Jim Chuchu
    • Joana Taya
    • Johannes Phokela
    • John Liebenberg
    • Johnson Zuze
    • Joseph Moise Agbodjelou
  • K

    • Kamuanga Ilunga, Eddy
    • Kamwathi, Peterson
    • Kapwani Kiwanga
    • Karo Akpokiere
    • Katembo, Kiripi
    • Kimathi Donkor
    • Klos, Yashua
    • Koko Robert Bi, Jems
    • Konaté, Abdoulaye
    • Kossentini, Nicène
  • L

    • Lemaoana, Lawrence
    • Leon Krige
    • Leuba, Namsa
    • Lindou, Salifou
    • Lo, Ndary
    • Lyndi Sales
  • M

    • Mabunda, Gonçalo
    • Macilau, Mario
    • Maiga, Hamidou
    • Makamo, Nelson
    • Malek Gnaoui
    • Malick Sidibé
    • Maludi, Houston
    • Mapondera, Wallen
    • Mary Evans
    • Masimba Hwati
    • Mehdi Melhaoui
    • Michéa, Vincent
    • Mika, JP
    • Mimi Cherono Ng’ok
    • Miriam Syowia Kyambi
    • Mohamed Camara
    • Monsengo Shula
    • Monteiro, Fabrice
    • Moschetti, Jean-Claude
    • Mudariki, Richard
    • Myriam Mihindou
  • N

    • Ndiaye, Cheikh
    • Ndidi Emefiele
    • Nzebo, Boris
  • O

    • Okore, Nnenna
    • Olu Amoda
    • Onditi, Paul
    • Option Nyahunzvi
    • Otobong Nkanga
    • Ové, Zak
  • P

    • Paa Joe and Jacob Tetteh-Ashong
    • Paulo Kapela
    • Phillemon Hlungwani
    • Pinto, Mauro
    • Platter, Cameron
  • R

    • ruby onyinyechi amanze
    • Ruga, Athi-Patra
  • S

    • Samba, Chéri
    • Sammy Baloji
    • Sanogo, Amadou
    • Selmani, Massinissa
    • Shomali, Kura
    • Siaka Traoré Soppo
    • Simone Leigh
    • Sinzogan, Julien
    • Sonia Boyce
    • Soudan, Gor
    • Stanley, Ransome
  • T

    • Tugbiyele, Adejoke
  • V

    • Vidal, Francisco
  • W

    • Wanjiku, Beatrice
    • William Adjété Wilson
  • Y

    • Yassine Khaled
    • Yo-Yo Gonthier
    • Youssef Ouchra
  • Z

    • Zahrin Kahlo
    • Zangewa, Billie
    • Zinkpè, Dominique

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