Carlos Idun-Tawiah

Winning body of work

I photographed this series as a requiem of my childhood memories.

Inspired by a close study of the family album and by my recollection growing up in a Christian and Ghanaian home, I tried to highlight the ethos of Sundays from a vernacular perspective. I played with visual nostalgia, juxtapositions, color and gesture to fully extract the tenor of Sundays in Ghana from as far back as I could remember. 

By creating a sense of community, love and belonging as I always try to portray in my work, I was conscious of blurring the lines between sanctity and our humanity by underscoring the idea of how community and divinity could exist in one place.

I also remarked on various observations I made growing up, and sought to answer some questions that surfaced whenever I tried to relive the past by combing through my family album.

My goal is to have everyone who sees this body of work go back in time in one way or the other; to incite that delight that can only be found when we look back and to provoke the sweet joys of what our memories could best serve us.

The exhibition will take place at Galerie Huit Arles (8 Rue de la Calade, Arles) from 5 July to 23 September 2023.

Sunday Special