The Unique Colour of Place and Time
Artist Ibrahim Mahama explores how colour can be influenced by time, man and nature
Reading time and colour
As an artist moved by architecture, Ibrahim Mahama works with abandoned buildings. Digging deep within an abandoned food storage building in Tamale, Ghana he uncovers how the character, aesthetic and colour of the building has evolved over time and unpacks what this can mean.
Who is Ibrahim Mahama and what are is interests?
Artist and author Ibrahim Mahama was born in Tamale, Ghana in 1987 where he currently lives and works. He is famed for draping buildings in materials, like jute sacks, as a comment on complicated colonial histories.
The story of a building
Mahama has documented his process of renovating a food storage building which was built in 1960s Ghana.
The development of colour
Ibrahim explains: ''In its lifetime the building has developed a unique colour scheme that would not be found anywhere else in the world. We discovered while excavating that dirt was poured into the building periodically, which has resulted in this strange colour developing.''
The effect of the elements
Another interesting factor in the colour history of the building is how light has added to its tones – the colour has developed variable shades where it has been exposured to natural light and the sun.
The colour of time
''It is fascinating to see how colour can be influenced by factors of time, man and nature – in such a way that the end product colour palette is unique to a place and time in history.'' — Ibrahim Mahama
