ARTSPLIT, the pioneering African art technology platform, has announced Bridges – the December edition of its modern & contemporary online auction featuring three iconic works by Ghanaian artists from 2 to 17 December available to access via the dedicated ARTSPLIT app and on public view at The Mix Design Hub in Accra between 11-16 December.

The auction follows from the successful inaugural Modern and Contemporary African Arts (MOCONA) Auction which took place in July 2022 and a recent November auction which coincided with Africa’s premier contemporary art fair ART X Lagos and saw the sales of works by some of the continent’s most celebrated artists including Yusuf Grillo and George Pemba.

The Bridges auction will continue ARTSPLIT’s efforts of creating better access and value for both emerging African artists and already established artists. The auction will feature works by three Ghanaian artists; bold colourful paintings by Isshaq Ismail, the vibrant works of Ablade Glover that capture the joyous everyday life of Ghana and finally Kofi Agorsor whose buoyant, semi-abstract and witty depictions of his subjects have received widespread international acclaim.

The artists included in the auction bridge generations of artistic excellence, divulging an exploratory voyage into artistic skill, medium, and narrative across generations. All three artists evoke emotions and canonise womanhood as an ode to the motherland, referencing sociocultural norms and features in their works and bridging generations of artistic mastery and skill. These artists use their art to express resilience, inspire, reflect, and motivate change in the face of ongoing national and international challenges.

Ablade Glover’s work reflects his deep love of life, activity, and colour. Glover depicts animated landscapes that mirror the exuberant diversity of Africa: its bustling market stalls, brightly attired crowds and women, and the dynamic energy that is Ghana, using warm impastoed pigments to express the dynamism, energy, and heat of his country. Mostly, his canvases are a love affair with Africa, generously splattered on canvas, evoking the continent’s struggle, tension, beauty, and verve.

The vibrant, bold colours used in Kofi Agorsor’s paintings depict the daily lives of modern Ghanaians. of spontaneity and order. His paintings are frequently embellished with splashes, drips, and flows of paint that intertwine to form magnificent forests or labyrinths, reflecting the interplay of music, dance movements, and geometry. He frequently employs pulsing colours to create an interpretation of the essence of contemporary Ghanaians; lived experiences set against the backdrop of entertainment.

Isshaq Ismail uses black, brown, green, red, ochre, purple, and blue to investigate and explore grotesque figures and textures. Ismail describes his process in sculptural terms, describing how he manipulates paint with thick, gestural brushstrokes in the same way a sculptor shapes clay. Through these striking and evocative works, he hopes to subvert and interrogate conventional notions of beauty. Representing the masses and advocating for the voiceless; his paintings explore themes of desire, resilience, power, and hope.

The ARTSPLIT app allows users to own fractions of prominent African artworks, also known as “Splits,” and keep or sell them on the app at the end of the Split Auction.” The Splits allow multiple people to co-own a single iconic piece of art, which no other art platform currently does. Users can also participate in a ‘Lease Auction’ on the app to win physical custody of these co-owned artworks for a set period.

The December auction follows the massive success of the November auction as well as the inaugural MOCONA auction held in July and attended by key figures in the Lagos art scene and exhibiting artists Edosa Ogiugo, El-Dragg Okwoju, and Abiodun Olaku. The MOCONA auction, titled Ode to Mastery, featured five prominent Nigerian artists who are key drivers of the continent’s contemporary art scene: Abiodun Olaku, Duke Asidere, Edosa Ogiugo, El-Dragg Okwoju, and Oliver Enwonwu.

Those who suffer from the problem of severe and unbearable pain in their back and other musculoskeletal body parts know well the importance of various treatments being offered by physicians and healthcare experts. In this respect, chiropractic treatments prove to help relieve various signs and symptoms associated with painful conditions. To get the requisite treatment in the desired manner, you must first choose the right chiropractor at your place. Here are some expert tips that may ease your task.

Check The Qualifications Of The Chiropractor

While hiring chiropractors through snapcrack.com/?lang=es or other sources available to you, you need to check their educational qualifications. They must be sufficiently qualified so that you may remain assured that they have complete knowledge about the human body and problems being suffered by the same. Through the knowledge attained by way of their qualifications, they may treat you in the best manner possible.

Make Sure The Chiropractor Is Experienced And Well-Trained

Apart from qualifications, it is also important that the chiropractor that you want to choose for your treatment is appropriately experienced and well-trained. The relevant chiropractor must have years of experience and training in offering the requisite treatments excellently and dependably.

Check And Compare Treatment Costs

Before you finally choose and hire any of the chiropractors for your needs, you must check and compare their treatment costs with other similar professionals in the related industry. You may ask for costs involved with some specific type of treatments you need to undergo and then compare the same to go ahead with one that seems to be most competitive to you in all respects.

Give Heed To Patient Reviews And Assessments

The reviews and assessments given by other patients for any chiropractor must also be checked while choosing and booking the best one for your treatment purpose. Great reviews and assessments given by the patients affirm about dependability and suitability of the given chiropractor for your needs.

Check Authorization Before Getting Treated

Like all other professionals, chiropractors also need to have some sort of authorization or license to offer their services professionally. Thus you must check their authorization before getting treated for some specific painful conditions.

Quicker Availability Is Important

Needless to mention you may need to get treatment for some painful conditions such as lower back pain immediately to get relief. Hence it is important to check if the chiropractor that you want to hire through snapcrack.com/?lang=es is available quickly.

With the help of all these tips as given by the industry experts, you may remain successful in choice of the right and the best chiropractors operating around. You may thus get yourself treated for the specific health issues in your back or other parts of the body assuredly and excellently.

There’s no doubt that African music has taken center stage and it’s no surprise considering the impressive level of talent emerging from the continent. More and more talents are breaking onto the scene and causing a stir with their fresh, genre-bending sounds.

Over the years, global music streaming platform, Audiomack has provided platforms and avenues for artists to receive maximum effulgence with opportunities for them to connect to a wide audience through its platform and initiatives that foster artists’ growth. An example is the Rising Star Competition which is held annually in partnership with Afrochella. The competition has become a mainstay for rising African artists in the past three years, with thousands of entries received each year.

Jess Eta, a Nigerian producer, singer, and songwriter who won the Rising Star competition in 2020, captivated many hearts with his afro-infused R&B, pop, rock, and soul. In this chat with him, Jess shared that he was originally a member of his church choir and used his knowledge of music theory to harness his craft.

• How did you hear about the Rising Star Challenge?

I came across the challenge on Audiomack’s Instagram account

• When you submitted your entry, what was the inspiration behind the song you created?

I was working on a couple of songs and I wanted to intentionally create an Afrobeats hit song. Adding my unique flair to an Afrobeats instrumental, I created the building blocks of that song.

• What was the most exciting thing about going through the challenge for you?

Every time Afrochella sent an email explaining that I had advanced to the next round, I got excited.

• What did you learn from the Rising Star Challenge?

I learned not to doubt myself and it became clear to me that my music was appreciated by a wide range of people.

• What advice would you give other artists who are currently taking part in the challenge?

I would advise that they put their best into whatever song they put in for the competition and also understand that even if they don’t win, it doesn’t undermine their music. There is just a lot of talent in Africa.

• What should your fans look forward to from you? Any exciting projects we should look forward to?

It’s only been a few months since I dropped my 11-track project titled “Playing With Fire” and the project describes a lot of the things I feel right now. The future is indeed very bright and I am excited to express the things I want to express in the coming months. For now, I have a couple of features coming out.

Jess ETA’s journey holds so much promise, and judging from his strides and wins so far in, fans and listeners can expect the best of afro-influenced music from him in the future.

Audiomack, which has a presence in all 54 African countries aims to reinforce its vision to support upcoming African artists’ growth and development through various initiatives.

Since 2019, Audiomack x Afrochella Rising Star competition has continually provided visibility for artists across the African continent. This year’s competition promises to reward the winner with a $1 000 cash prize and a studio session with Accra-based BBnZ Live. The first runner-up will win a cash prize, an article spotlight feature on Audiomack World, and a one-on-one personal studio session, while the second runner-up will receive a cash prize, personal mentorship with industry experts, and a spotlight on Audiomack World.

We can eat nuts as one of the healthiest foods. They are nutrient-dense and loaded with fiber and good fats. Almonds are loaded with probiotics. Pecans are full of beneficial antioxidants, and chestnuts are high in vitamin C.

Nuts are a powerhouse of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. They make great baking ingredients and are a go-to for quick snacks. And everyone’s preferred schmear on bread is nut butter, of course.

Cooking can be made much more interesting by treating nuts like beans or other proteins and embracing the meaty aspect of some of them, especially ones like peanuts, which are technically a legume. Look for raw, unsalted nuts whenever possible, unless otherwise specified, to use in your savory cooking. When cooked, roasted nuts will not react the same, and you want to be able to regulate the salt in your food.

Nuts are incredibly adaptable. They are suitable for snacks, desserts, lunch, dinner, and breakfast. They can be made into nut cheeses, sauces, and butter. You can learn about allergies caused by a food allergy course. It will give tips and Tricks to avoid certain nuts if they are allergic. To coat foods and give them a crunchy feel, nuts can be used in place of bread crumbs. They can also be utilized to create healthy pie and tart crusts, which let us feel better about indulging in desserts. Nut milk and nut meat can both be made from nuts!

When using nuts in food, cooks need to be aware of any allergies their guests may have. A food allergy course can help you understand how to deal with allergies, both about the food preparation process, communication with those dining, and also what to do if a reaction occurs.

A few dinner ideas with nuts are

Walnut Cake

The flourless walnut cake is quite likely the simplest. Three simple ingredients—walnuts, eggs, and raw, unrefined sugar make this recipe incredibly moist.

Chicken Salad with Walnuts

This light salad from the summer can be served when a lighter dish is required. It has a sweet crunch from the apple and cherry tomatoes, which is well offset by the watercress’ peppery undertones.

Peanut Caramel Slice

This recipe for peanut slices was given resist the delicious, with sticky golden syrup and peanut topping. A food allergy course will give details if there is any allergy for certain people.

Truffles with coconut and almond butter

Because carob has a delicate malt flavor and pairs well with a little maple syrup to sweeten, we can choose to use it. A tiny amount of coconut shreds offers a lovely lightness and crunch to balance out their richness. It is simple to make and makes a good snack to keep in the cupboard.

Tart with pumpkin and nuts

It will be useful to have a block of puff pastry in the freezer. When you go to see friends or go on a picnic, use it to quickly prepare this simple pumpkin tart.

Balls of pork with nuts

The nuts give flavor and an unexpected bite to these pork and peanut balls. You can cook them all on one tray in the oven to prevent a mess. Serve them hot either alone or with your preferred sauce. Sweet chili is always a favorite and the perfect companion with this.

Brazilian-Nut Cake with Pears

The prominent flavors in this cake include pear, cardamom, and brazil nut. In this golden, textured cake recipe, they complement one another naturally and are extremely nice for early spring.

Nuts are frequently used as a garnish or it is used in addition to salads or wonderful side dishes of rice or other grains. But by increasing the proportions to roughly 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of the dish, you give it a lot more significant flavor and fantastic protein. It will make these a great option for a vegetarian or a vegan main dish. You should be able to maintain the rest of the ingredients in the dish by lowering the amount of rice or other grains and increasing the number of nuts. Nuts also give a rich taste and flavor to all the dishes.

I am Ghana

I never let Africa down

Never have

Never will

Ask Mandela

Forget the scores. Fry FIFA. Freeze history. All because it is the first Friday in July 2010. The lesson of the day? History has two versions- the one which happened and the one which should have. And on the night Ghana lost to Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup, Africa at the threshold of the semi-finals is the living history.

The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams. A nation’s heart was cracked. No need for pretence. If you are reading this with hurt feelings I was writing with teary eyes. For once, during the tournament, Sultry Shakira’s ‘’Waka waka’’ did not sound sweet. As for K’naan’s ‘‘Waving Flag’’ chorus, nothing could be more jarring.

For us in Ghana, ‘’disappointment’’ is no longer an abstract noun but a physical pain that we have nursed since the dying seconds of a 120 minute-drama that saw a series of quick events drown our dreams. After the match, Coach Milovan’s theoretical ‘‘this is football’’ explanation would not heal a nation. We have to complete the therapy.

So let us let it out, folks. I need to throw a few things at who, I don’t care. Oh, yes, Africa. What a sorry place. Once again, an entire continent was looking for a hero in Ghana. Ghana must beat Uruguay. Ghana must go to the semifinals. Ghana must wipe Africa’s shame. Ghana must this, Ghana must that.

Why should it always be Ghana? Quick flashback: in the last World Cup, Ghana was also the only African country to have gone beyond the group stage. There are 53 countries. There were six of us at the tournament, including the host nation. What did South Africa do? Where was La Cote d’Ivoire? Which manner of men played for Nigeria? Who sent Algeria there? How could Cameroun stoop so low?

Why should it always be Ghana bailing out this continent? Well, I have got news for Africa. Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana need not reach the 2010 World Cup semifinals to become the hero. We have always been champions. It is ingrained in our genes. So don’t cry for me, Africa.

What a continent! When others lump us up we complain. We blame them for their ignorance and assert our respective sovereignties. Yet we are quick to cower together behind a single country when a whiff of glory is in the air. OK, so everyone knows Ghana pioneered Pan-Africanism. (‘‘I still know there is hope in the Black Stars’’ said a text message I received after the match from a friend in Barbados). But that does not excuse this African paradox.

What happened to our twinkle, twinkle little stars was that, on the field, they had to carry the burden of an entire continent on their young shoulders. How cruel. Suddenly, all sorts of bored and recycled African organisations found it opportunistic to tag into a Black Stars semifinal berth.

When they were playing Ghana, Uruguay was not doing it in the name of South America. Against Paraguay, Japan was not fighting for Asia. And when the Germany ‘’machine’’ was blitzkrieging Argentina 4-0 they were doing it for the sake of their Vaterland.

I suspect the ghosts of Kwame Nkrumah and Marcus Garvey would be hovering above me with reprimand. But even these two would understand that on this continent we are not the only stars. In fact, foxes, lions, eagles, and elephants have all paraded and trumpeted their virtues, n’est ce pas?

Can I break it down? If this continent must up its game and earn global respect, each country must up its individual game. Simple.

For all those who predicted that Ghana was going to win the World Cup, I doff my hat. You are prophets in your own right. After Uruguay, the Netherlands would have been our easiest conquest. Then at the finals even FIFA, would have their hearts pounding for us (if for nothing at all, for the ‘good of the game’). Something really happened on the way to Heaven, that Friday.

The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams. But it didn’t end there because this epic tragedy keeps coming back. It is the kind of scene that replays in your mental video.

It was the last kick of extra time. But leading to that so much had happened. The imminence of penalty kicks, a missed goal, a hand ball, a red card… All in the spate of a few seconds. Players and fans alike did not have time to take it all in. The Jabulani ball was shot up, at an angle meant for the roof of the net. It was all so familiar. The kicker, Asamoah Gyan had done it same way, successfully, before.

As the ball continued its trajectory, the goalkeeper was clearly beaten. In the background, a partisan crowd bleated, practically to shoo the ball in. We widen our eyes. The world stood still. At crunch time the ball refused to take the critical dip under the post. Wickedly, the Jabulani hit the bar and went up, 90 degrees. Before one could say ‘’vuvuzela’’, it was over.

Has anyone seen Asamoah Gyan lately? I saw him on TV dancing, though less energetically. When Gyan told the BBC, ‘‘I don’t think I am worried’’, many doubted it. Now, he appears to be handling it well. Still, let us keep him in our prayers. That boy is probably scarred for life.

Again, Africa is part of the reason. Had one or two other teams been in the reckoning the pressure would have been much less. In our eagerness to ’’rescue Mother Africa’’ we the Ghanaian people also played along. If we feel so much hurt it is because we were all caught up in that save-the- continent agenda. Now we are experiencing twice the pain.

In a sense, we are like the English. At each soccer tournament the Merry England folks gear themselves up big time. Fuelled by a pub culture and roared on by a loud press, they declare their own version of ‘‘Ke naako.’’ It is time for the Brits to show the world who invented the game. But too often, they have had to fold up the Union Jack too soon. Their lesson: it is one thing hosting a prestigious soccer league and another presenting an unbeatable national side.

For Ghana, the lesson to learn may be a bit more complicated. Self knowledge. In this very important international enterprise, self knowledge precedes all. It comes even before team strategy.

As a people, the ability to focus is part of our bane. This has been a weak point for our soccer players. Many of the factors that affect our team’s concentration during a tournament happen off the field. The point being made here is that managing the physical and psychological environment of our ‘’boys at war’’ is serious business. It involves understanding each player as well as assessing how emerging issues would impact the entire team.

We may have to re-examine the management of the environment of the team in camp. For instance, morale boosting is good. However, psychologist would tell you that when the stakes to perform become too high all the human body does is recoil naturally to its, neutral, ‘‘I am only human’’ mode.

Just for an example, our Venerable Nelson Mandela is larger than life. Could the Madiba’s invitation to party have been kept from the boys (as a pleasant surprise) until after the game? I cite this for a personal, if not shallow reason. If I, an eager writer, am informed just before writing an exam that I will be meeting Mandela, chances remain that I may, be bowled over with over-excitement.

Then there is the issue of how our boys psyche up before matches. Are we sure that the active drumming and the shi’ing of jama by players who have 90 minutes of physical engagement ahead of them is the best? It is on record that after Brazil had beaten Ghana 3-0 at the last World Cup, our opponents expressed shock at the fact that prior to the match our Black Stars spent excessive energy singing and praying.

By all standards the 2010 World Cup has been an unusual one with an unusual ball. The Jabulani seems to be the most talked about ball in World Cup history. The first time I heard the word, I couldn’t help but notice that it rhymed with ‘’Fulani.’’ However, more was yet to come. In terms of movement, the Jabulani is just like the Fulani cattle herd, unpredictable.

The ball has caught many a player off guard. In the game against Australia, Asamoah Gyan’s own kinsman, Kingson was dealt a treacherous blow, so was Keeper Rob Green of England and Faouzi Chaouchi of Algeria.

To coach Capello of Team England, the Jabulani is the worst ever to be used at a World Cup.

‘’I’ve seen that the ball arrives really fast and the players are having problems controlling it.’’

But not every player bears the Jabulani a grudge. Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech had some positive comments. He said the ball has good visibility due to the colour design plus it feels good to handle. English midfielder Frank Lampard also happens to be among the few players who are Jabulani-friendly.

In fairness, if the Big J was horrible it was horrible for all players. The Jabulani flew up, grazed the post and went up, up and out with our dreams…

kofiakpabli@yahoo.com

July 7, 2010