Mapping traces in the art of Ibrahim Mahama

ABSTRACT

Disappearance is an inherent quality of the ‘trace’. A trace, moving within the ambiguous space between absence and presence, refers to some other event connected with it. In this essay, I apply my hybrid model of the trace, derived from the philosophies of Jacques Derrida, Charles Sanders Peirce, and Tim Ingold, in an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Ibrahim Mahama. Mahama’s art responds to traces of failure and disappearance in the urban landscapes of Ghana. Working with materials and spaces in decay, Mahama maps residues of the past embedded in the material, tracing within its narratives of trade, migration, labour, capital, and commodity exploitation. By engaging communities around him in collaborative processes that are often large of scale and presented in public spaces, Mahama recollects memories of labour and exposes extreme histories that inform the present.

KEYWORDS:

• Postcolonial theory
• trace
• Ibrahim Mahama
• mapping

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 An in-depth unpacking of my hybrid model can be found in my master’s thesis (see reference Attewell (2022)).

2 Saussure explains that systems comprise “signs” which can be considered as devices used in human communication. A sign, Saussure argues, gains meaning when considering the relationship between the signifier (the material object) and the signified (the concept linked to the object) (Jefferson & Robey, 1996, p. 47).

3 Consider, for example, a cross that is interpreted as a cultural symbol of Christianity.

4 Though I do not unpack Derrida’s theory of différance in depth in this essay, it forms the foundation for my understanding of Derrida’s trace, where the trace exists between absence and the presence, is in risk of effacement, and always refers beyond itself.

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Chrisél Attewell

Chrisél Attewell (b. 1994) is a multidisciplinary visual artist from South Africa. Her work is research-driven and experimental. Inspired by current socio-ecological concerns, Attewell's work explores the nuances in people's connection to the Earth and each other. She works with various mediums, including painting, installation, sculpture, and video. Attewell received her BFA from the University of Pretoria (2016) and her MFA from the University of Johannesburg (2023). Her work was showcased at Contemporary Istanbul (2019, 2022), Art Cologne (2023), and Investec Cape Town Art Fair (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), including a solo booth in 2024. Her latest solo exhibitions include Rain Shadows (UJ FADA Gallery, 2023), The Weather Report Promised Rain (Berman Contemporary, 2023), and Heat Waves (Berman Contemporary, 2024).