Chrissa Amuah (Textile Designer), and Alice Asafu-Adjaye (Architect), both of dual Ghanaian-British nationality, and practicing in London and Accra respectively, combine their insights and perspectives on art and design to represent Ghana.

Titled Amplify, their collaboration explores the conversation between Ghana and two of its colonial masters, England and Denmark, over four centuries.

In response to the exhibition theme of ‘Resonance’, Amplify  focuses on the ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’ should contact have been a balanced cultural interchange of ideas and trade. Exploring the theme of Resonance, Amplify is a concept study that demonstrates how mutual growth and development benefits all, in contrast to a period when Europeans were developing societies with art and culture at its core, at the expense of their colonies – an example of which is Somerset House.

A site specific concept, the architecture and 450 year history of Somerset House, provide the perfect foil for a project that explores the rich Ghanaian cultural tapestry and the development of art and culture when frequencies of ideology, attitudes and ideas are in consonance.

Amplify will explore and manipulate; materials, space, light and textures, provoking an evolution of attitudes and ideology. And furthermore, reveal an equilibrium of environmental and cultural sensitivity that resonates with the 21^st century.

A concept that expands through and beyond creativity, forcing us to reconsider the value of conceptual and socio-economic equilibrium – Amplify holds both historic and future relevance in the West and the Global South.

Chrissa Amuah is the Founder & Creative Director of AMWA Designs, an Adinkra inspired luxury homeware and interiors brand. She is an MA graduate from the world-renowned Chelsea College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London. 

Chrissa describes living with a sense of duality. Although born and raised in London, her heritage stems from Ghana, Togo and Benin; and it is from Ghana that she draws most of her design-led inspiration. Following an international debut at Milan Design Week 2015, Chrissa has gained global recognition with press features in Elle Décor Italia, Departures magazine and the FT’s How To Spend It.

In 2017, she established AFRICA BY DESIGN; a concept of love intended to showcase and celebrate the best of Africa’s design talent. AFRICA BY DESIGN works to create international commercial opportunities for its featured designers. Since its launch, AFRICA BY DESIGN has exhibited in five cities across four continents. In the same year, Chrissa was also recognised as the Black British Business Award Consumer & Luxury Category ‘Rising Star’.

2021 will see the launch of A Sense of Duality, a textile collection produced in collaboration with one of America’s largest furniture and textile producers, Bernhardt Design.