Elmina Town of Art: Reclaiming Colonial History Through Public Art
Public Art Reclaims Colonial History: The Nagtglas House Mural
ELMINA, Ghana: A striking new mural on one of Elmina’s most historic buildings is transforming colonial memory into public art. The installation is part of a broader ambition to establish our historic coastal town as a vibrant destination for contemporary art and music, alongside its centuries-old heritage.
The mural represents the first major commission under the Town of Art initiative. This project pairs visual art and live music to enliven Elmina and expand the reach of the annual Edina Bakatue festival, the town’s historic celebration marking the opening of the fishing season. Organisers behind the initiative state that the objective is twofold: to draw a wider global audience to Bakatue and to beautify the town itself, transforming walls that have stood quietly for generations into dynamic new points of interest for both residents and international visitors.
An Entangled Heritage
The canvas chosen for this inaugural piece is the Cornelis Nagtglas House. This two-storey building was constructed in 1862 by Cornelis Johannes Marius Nagtglas, the Dutch Governor of the Gold Coast, for his Ghanaian wife, Amandrado Yere Anna Araba Smith. For more than 160 years, the house has stood as a tangible record of Elmina’s entangled history. Built by a European colonial administrator for a Ghanaian family, the structure remains deeply tied to the shared history of both nations today. To bring the mural to life, Ghanaian artist Emmanuel Eshun and his Elmina-based team worked alongside Dutch-Ghanaian artist Richard Kofi to paint the building’s exterior.
Nature as the Ultimate Authority
The artwork depicts a colossal wave rendered in the sweeping style of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, rising high over three colonial-era vessels. These ships fly the flags of the Netherlands, Portugal, and Britain the three European powers that traded in and governed Elmina at different points across the centuries. Crucially, the mural does not depict these ships mastering the sea. Instead, they are shown submitting to it, tossed and overtaken by the swell. Project organisers note that this composition is a deliberate reversal of traditional historical framing. It directly counters popular historical narratives celebrating the absolute dominance of European trading enterprises, such as the Dutch East India Company (often associated with the so-called “VOC mentality” of total control).
The organisers describe the piece as an act of homage rather than confrontation. It serves as a profound recognition of the spiritual power of the ocean, asserting that nature rather than any corporate monopoly or colonial empire holds ultimate authority. Water, in this context, acts as a living archive, carrying the memory of everything brought to Elmina’s shores and everything taken from them.
Looking to the Future
Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, the Paramount Chief of the Edina Traditional Council, formally received the artwork on behalf of the council. He expressed his gratitude to Kofi, Emmanuel and the artistic team for their dedication to preserving and reinterpreting Elmina’s history through public art. He also extended thanks to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana for supporting the project.
This mural is intended to be the first of several public works planned for Elmina under the Town of Art banner. Organisers are continuing to build a curated programme of art and music designed to complement the town’s world-renowned historic sites, ensuring the Edina Bakatue festival enjoys an even grander stage in the years ahead.