UEW Students Showcase Ghanaian Heritage in International Art Exhibition in Munich
Students from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) have earned international acclaim after presenting an innovative exhibition that reimagines art education through Ghanaian cultural heritage at the Forum der Zukunft on Munich’s Museumsinsel in Germany.
The exhibition, titled “Sankofa: The Strokes Return Home,” ran from 23rd to 27th February, 2026 and featured the works of nineteen UEW student artists under the curatorship of Mr. Ebenezer Kow Abraham of the Department of Art Education. The showcase drew significant attention from museum professionals, scholars and art enthusiasts for its bold approach to decolonising art education.
Developed as part of UEW’s Independent Studies in Drawing (ISD) course, the exhibition challenged conventional Western artistic frameworks by encouraging students to explore drawing as a culturally rooted form of expression. Inspired by the Akan philosophy of Sankofa, which emphasises retrieving the past to inform the future, the students used indigenous materials such as calabashes, maize sacks, Oware boards and stone slabs to convey stories of memory, identity and resilience.
According to curator Mr. Abraham, the project represents a shift in artistic thinking among the students. “The students have moved from being passive recipients of foreign artistic traditions to active investigators of their own visual heritage. Every stroke is an act of return,” he said.
The exhibition resonated strongly with audiences in Munich. Karin Guggeis of the Museum Fünf Kontinente described it as “a gorgeous exhibition” filled with fascinating ideas and techniques that connect history and contemporary artistic practice. Another visitor noted that the exhibition powerfully demonstrated how “looking back means moving forward.”
The exhibition featured works by UEW students including Anastasia Eshun, Marian Abena Opoku, Francisca Boateng Osei, Stephen Mensah, Jonathan Asem, Clara Jennifer Asare, Justice Owusu Kwarteng, Juana Baah-Mensah Turkson, Pascal Elvhe, Esther Antwi, Selassie Nyamekye Nkrumah, Ivan Kojo Howard, Emmanuel Agboado, Liza Edwina Awotwi, Hannah Owusu, Michael Addo, Victus Apedo and Ekow Tandoh. Their works demonstrated how local materials and artistic traditions can serve as powerful foundations for contemporary art.
The exhibition was organised in collaboration with XR HUB Bavaria and the Exploring Visual Cultures (EVC) network and the Department of Art Education, UEW, with support from the Bavarian Ministry of Science and the Arts.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Silke Schmidt, Managing Director of XR HUB Bavaria, said the project highlights how cultural heritage can inspire innovative artistic and technological futures. Prof. Ernst Wagner, Executive Secretary of Exploring Visual Cultures, also described the exhibition as an important step in strengthening international dialogue in art education.
Following its successful debut in Munich, the exhibition is expected to tour Germany, Ghana, and Austria, further expanding the global conversation on how culture, memory and history shape contemporary art education.
Through this landmark exhibition, UEW students have not only showcased their creative talents on an international stage but also demonstrated how African cultural knowledge can drive new directions in global art education.
