,Material, Memory, and Becoming: My Journey as an Artist’’ Patrick Tagoe-Turkson will give a lecture at the University of Fine Arts Budapest
,Material, Memory, and Becoming: My Journey as an Artist’’ Patrick Tagoe-Turkson will give a lecture at the University of Fine Arts Budapest
Date: 16 February 2026, 11:00 AM
Venue: MKE, Main Building, Community Space (1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 69–71.)
Internationally acclaimed Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist and educator Patrick Tagoe-Turkson will present a lecture at the University of Fine Arts Budapest.
Patrick –Tagoe-Turkson
Patrick Tagoe-Turkson (b. 1978) is a leading Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist and educator whose practice powerfully bridges environmental activism, cultural memory, and contemporary African aesthetics. Widely recognized for his groundbreaking “nature art,” he transforms discarded flip-flops—locally known as chalewote—collected from Ghana’s Atlantic coastline into monumental, kaleidoscopic tapestries. Through meticulous cutting, layering, and assemblage, he reimagines ocean waste into intricate compositions that echo the visual rhythms of traditional Ghanaian Kente while asserting a bold, contemporary language of sustainability and renewal.
Tagoe-Turkson’s work interrogates themes of migration, material transformation, memory, and ecological responsibility. By elevating debris from the shoreline into complex, tapestry-like surfaces, he converts symbols of environmental neglect into poetic reflections on humanity’s footprint and shared futures.
He holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and serves as a Senior Lecturer at Takoradi Technical University, where he mentors emerging artists and contributes to critical discourse in contemporary art practice.
With over 100 exhibitions across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States, his work has gained significant international recognition. Tagoe-Turkson’s works are held in notable public and private collections, including the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, the Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Casoria in Italy, and the Museo Arqueológico Nacional in Spain, affirming his growing global impact and institutional presence.
Through a practice rooted in place yet resonant worldwide, Patrick Tagoe-Turkson continues to redefine the possibilities of material, memory, and meaning in contemporary art.
