ASARE K. DAPAAH, THE YOUNG “PRESIDENTIAL” SCULPTOR

Getting close to the final stages of the work- Dapaah filing jis work

When on September 17, 2015 His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, unveiled a bust of his predecessor, late Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills as part of a ceremony to commission the first of the 200 community day secondary schools, only a few could imagine such an impressive piece of artwork was the handiwork of a  24 year old sculptor.

President John Mahama admiring the bust

The nice-looking monument which presently stands at the entrance of the Atta-Mills Senior High School at Ekumfi Atuam in the Central Region was designed and executed from start to finish by Asare Kwesi Dapaah, a final year student of the University of Education, Winneba with occasional supervision from his lecturer, Mr. Cyril Kpodo.

The young sculptor (shorter than his work) proudly displaying the bust

Young Dapaah who could not hide his joy in being the skillful hand behind the unmistakable bust of the late president said “It’s humbling and refreshing to have such a great platform to showcase my work; it is even more so having my work (created in the image of no less a personality but the man of many virtues and achievements, Atta-Mills) endorsed and commissioned by the sitting president; Nothing can be more inspiring”.

He described his work as a physical manifestation of his talent (which he developed from childhood), his passion and later, the professional training which he acquired from secondary school and the university.

Work in progress

Sculpture rudiment
The nearly two-2ft-tall bust, mounted on a 4 and half ft pedestal stand is made of a fine blend of Polyurethane Resin and Fibre Glass and this came to life after sixteen days of skillful and meticulous work, graduating steadily through six successive stages including what he described as armature preparation, clay modelling, mould taking, casting, finishing and mounting.

Background

A native of Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region, Asare Kwesi Dapaah was born to Mr. Cliff Kofi Dapaah, a teacher and late Augusta Dedo Sackey-Kwawu, a broadcaster (formerly of GBC Obonu FM, Tema).

His first encounter with formal education was at the then famous (now defunct) Gideon International School, (GIS) Odumase-Krobo from where he graduated the best of his batch with a remarkable grade Eight in the 2004 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), gaining admission into yet another prestigious educational institution, the Pope Johns Senior High School and Junior Seminary (POJOSS).

At POJOSS where he read Visual Art, his raw talent was given a good footing and refined; this further boosted his taste for the creative art. It was this obsession that drove him to pursue art to the tertiary level after turning a POJOBA in 2007.

In 2009, he enrolled at the Tarkoradi Polytechnic where he read Sculpture. Characteristic of him, he displayed exceptional academic brilliance, and graduated as one of the best students with First Class (HND Sculpture) in the year 2012.

His thirst for higher education spurred him on to read for his first degree shortly after his National Service. He subsequently entered the University of Education, Winneba (UCEW) in 2013 where he is currently studying B.A Art Education- with a major in Sculture and Picture Making- filled with nothing but a steely determination to come out one of the best in his class and batch when graduating later this year.

Other undertakings

Time to produce one of himself

Some of his other striking artworks, apart from those for academic purposes, include a classic bust of himself, a pencil and charcoal drawings of iconic figures including Nelson Mandela of South Africa and our own Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Annan. He has an equal flair in drawing which he does for fun.

Away from sculpture- young Dapaah behind his drawing table 

An Asare Dapaah drawing of the late Nelson Mandela. Isn't this a clear photograph?