Awanle Ayiboro Hawa Ali (Ghanaian, b. 1997) is a visual artist focused on creating art based on the experiences of the African woman in a patriarchal society. Born into a strict muslim family as the first female child of her nuclear family, there had always been unrealistic societal expectations and pressure on her concerning ‘settling down’ and having children. However, Awanle, does not believe in the institution of marriage and its limitation to a woman’s worth; she paints with the intent of defying the standards set for women like her. Hawa aims to achieve her goals of becoming an artist who will be known for generations to come. She has always been interested in the visual arts, but could not grow her skills due to lack of interest from her parents who influenced her to follow a career in General Arts and the Humanities. However, various instances where she unknowingly gravitated towards the visual art scene and artist mentors caused her to rebel and decide on pursuing a career as an artist and defying standards that were not hers to begin with. Hawa is determined to portray these experiences through her art and as a result inspire many women to break free from societal limitations. She currently works with Artemartis, an art collective in Accra, where she spends time researching, experimenting and painting.

I have found myself continually exploring aspects of life that are often hidden or misrepresented in our society. I explore personal experiences and the lives of the average woman, and in some cases, the conservative Muslim woman in Ghana or around the world who gets lost in thought, dreaming of the day she would not be looked at as incapable of accomplishing goals and aspirations.

To capture the soul of the dreamer, the woman who refuses to be held back by walls of unrealistic expectations, the woman who seeks beyond the wall, I focus on the topics society is aware of, but has minimum or no control over. An example being the patriarchal systems in my society. My art takes inspiration from experiences growing up in a strict and conservative Muslim community. My feelings are evoked, and emotions of pain and sadness are shown through the subjects I paint. My desire to live beyond the expectations set for women drives my choice of colors. As the first daughter of my family, I had always been subjected to false societal expectations and pressure when it came to making choices and settling down to having children. My current body of work is about liberation of women which tackles employment, emancipation and independence of women. I paint my subjects in suits, and other clothing. Suits have always been in the male domain, and wearing a suit regardless of gender entails a certain degree of class. Suits are very much centered in my work because metaphorically, suits represent empowerment and I strongly support this.

Society has made women believe their only role in life is limited to procreation. I believe women can be independent regardless of their marital and/or maternal status. Women are given zero opportunity to play a part in developing our societies and we are mostly considered feeble, vulnerable and unintelligent. Affirming the root of feminine power within myself through this body of work permeates everything I do as a woman, an artist, and everything I represent; my bodies of work examine and question gender roles and the portrayal of women in popular culture. As an artist, I believe strongly in the role of imagination and the importance of standing for what is right so I portray this through my work. Just like the colour of the oceans and seas, I apply navy blue and multiple shades of blue on the skin of my subjects, symbolizing freedom from all limitations, abuse and the controlled lives of all women; blue also depicts royalty in the northern Ghanaian community. My emotions allow me to paint a range of postures, hand and finger expressions, which communicate a series of questions and thoughts that go through my mind daily. I want my audience to be able to interpret what they see and feel by relating with everyday sitting and standing positions:when we are lost in thought, at a standstill, not having a single memory of how we ended up lost, daydreaming, questioning the universe. I apply acrylic paint in creating my art. I sometimes portray powerful, inspirational women who keep defying all odds to be successful in their various fields. I say a little prayer after completing every work of art, hoping to impact society by helping women like me, who may be forced or brainwashed into early marriages, disallowed an education, moreover an educational path of their choosing, to break free from the shackles of societal and religious expectations. Right now, more than ever, it is time for women to take a step forward and focus on leadership in their communities and beyond, and I aspire to contribute greatly to this change.

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