On this episode I’m joined by Rita Mawuena Benissan as we discuss her newly commissioned works presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Born in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in 1995 to Ghanaian parents, Rita's journey led her to the United States as a baby, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Apparel and Textile Design from Michigan State University in 2017, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in photography and an African Studies Program Certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021.

Rita is a Ghanaian-American interdisciplinary artist, on a mission to reimagine the royal umbrella, transforming it from a mere protective object into a potent symbol of Ghanaian identity. With a profound passion for art and cultural history, Rita collaborates with traditional artisans to breathe life into archival photos, immortalizing individual figures and communal scenes while embodying the beauty and power of her people.

In this episode, Rita discusses her newly commissioned work 'You Must Cross and Seek.' The installation features photography, installations, and well-known umbrella works. Rita explains how the title and the works reflect themes of ancestral calls, cultural legacy, and the fishing community in the Volta region where her family is from. She emphasizes the need for cultural preservation, especially through her foundation, Si Hene, which focuses on documenting and archiving Ghanaian chieftaincy and traditional culture. Rita also discusses the challenges of accessing cultural archives and the importance of creating spaces for contemporary African art, urging a collaborative approach between communities and institutions. 

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