Biography
Oscillating between memory and fiction, he weaves together multiple narratives that are based on Ghanaian popular culture, current and historical media accounts, and his own ongoing observations and encounters with vulcanisers in his native Ghana. The visual iconography of vulcaniser shops and scrap yards—stacks of worn tyres and inner tubes, mounds of vehicle wreckage, and scrawled signage on the bodies of damaged cars—forms the core of his practise. In the middle of what appears to be chaos, Dela muses about concepts of value in relation to our existence as humans.
Anyah was an artist in residence at the Noldor Residency in 2022. The next year, he came in as Second Runner Up for the Kuenyehia Prize. His work belongs in the collections of Celine Art Project (Puerto Banus) , Sir David Adjaye (New York, London, Accra), Kuenyehia Collection, the Institute Museum of Ghana and the Isshaq Foundation (Accra).
Selected solo exhibitions include: Nubuke Foundation, Accra (2023), The Noldor Residency, Accra (2022)
Selected group exhibitions include: The Anzai Gallery, Tokyo (2024), Museum of Science and Technology, Accra (2023), Institute Museum of Ghana, Accra (2023), Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York (2023), Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen (2023)
Artist Statement
My artistic exploration centers around vulcanizer and mechanic spaces, particularly the discarded objects within them, unraveling their histories and potential futures. This fascination is deeply rooted in concepts of renewal, self-discovery, identity, rebirth, and transformative change—themes that echo throughout my personal life and creative odyssey.
Through the utilization of found objects like tires, inner tubes, license plates, bicycle rims, and more, I craft new forms that serve as visual manifestations of my core themes: identity and rebirth. Each piece becomes a narrative, weaving together the stories of forgotten materials into a tapestry of significance.
Ultimately, my artwork strives to breathe life into the seemingly mundane, infusing vitality into objects that may appear lifeless or resigned. It is an exploration of finding value in the overlooked, celebrating the potential for renewal in what might seem dead or hopeless at first glance.
Curriculum Vitae
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Homecoming, Adjiriganor, Accra, Ghana
2023 Climate, Jamestown Coffee Co, Accra, Ghana
2023 Elementary Rebirth, Nubuke Foundation, Accra, Ghana
2022 The Dreamers Cocoon, The Noldor Residency, Accra, Ghana
Group Exhibitions
2024 Form Comes To Mind, The Anzai Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2023 Homecoming, Museum of Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana
2023 X’MAS 23, Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark
2023 Kaleidoscope of Dreams, Institute Museum of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
2023 Worldmaking, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York, USA
2023 SUMMERTIME’23, Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark
2023 REVERB 23 | Abstract Resonances //Contemporary Voices, Latitudes Online
2023 Kuenyehia Prize Awards, The Mix Design Hub, Accra, Ghana
Awards
2023 2nd Runner Up: Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art
2022 Semi-Finalist: Art X Prize
Bibliography
2023 MANJU JOURNAL. (2023). VOICES: GHANA’S ARTISTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS. Twentyfour Thirtysix Ltd. Page 54
Residencies
2022 The Noldor Residency, Accra, Ghana
Collections
Celine Art Project Puerto Banus
The Institute Museum of Ghana Accra
Sir David Adjaye Collection New York | London | Accra
Isshaq Foundation Accra
Kuenyehia Collection Accra
Private Collection North Carolina
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