Ibrahim Mahama

Ibrahim Mahama (b. 1987) is a contemporary artist known for monumental installations made from repurposed jute sacks, through which he addresses themes of global trade, labor, and postcolonial histories. He graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, where he completed his doctorate in 2015.Mahama seeks to redefine the social role of art. He founded two spaces dedicated to promoting contemporary art and education through community-based projects: the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art and the Red Clay Studio complex. Both centers are located in his hometown of Tamale, Ghana, and encourage visitors—including many local children—to undertake artistic projects using recycled materials, learn about the history of labor, and imagine its future.Ibrahim Mahama has participated in major artistic events around the world, including documenta 14 (2017) and the Venice Biennale (2015, 2019), and has realized projects in institutions such as the Barbican Centre and Whitechapel Gallery (London). In 2023, he was appointed artistic director of the 35th Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts. He has also participated in, among others, the Sharjah Biennial, the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, exhibitions at The High Line (New York), the University of Michigan Museum of Art, and Centre Pompidou (Paris). He is represented by White Cube and Apalazzo Gallery.