Ibrahim Mahama Apollo Magazine

Ibrahim Mahama Apollo Magazine Ibrahim mahama was born in 1987 in tamale, ghana, and lives and works in accra, kumasi and tamale. he has had solo exhibitions at institutions around the world, including the barbican in london, the high line in new york and kunsthalle wien. Ibrahim mahama is known for his large scale installations made from jute sacks previously used to transport cocoa beans and charcoal, which are emblematic of ghana’s commodity dependency. his work explores themes of commodity, migration, globalization, and economic exchange.

Ibrahim Mahama Apollo 40 Under 40 Africa The Patrons Advocates The ghanaian artist ibrahim mahama has become the first african to be named the most influential figure in the art world in artreview magazine’s annual power list. We recently spoke with mahama, who shared insights into his relationship with the contemporary art world, his vision for reshaping power dynamics within the industry, and his hopes for the evolving art scene in ghana. Best known for large scale burlap sack installations, ibrahim mahama is helping shift power in the art world to the global south while redefining art as a collective practice. With workshop led projects taking shape for december’s kochi muziris biennale and next year at the maps museum in køge, denmark, alongside a forthcoming show of work in singapore, mahama continues to pose questions of what art does, and who it is for, with no one answer.

Ibrahim Mahama Apollo 40 Under 40 Africa The Patrons Advocates Best known for large scale burlap sack installations, ibrahim mahama is helping shift power in the art world to the global south while redefining art as a collective practice. With workshop led projects taking shape for december’s kochi muziris biennale and next year at the maps museum in køge, denmark, alongside a forthcoming show of work in singapore, mahama continues to pose questions of what art does, and who it is for, with no one answer. Mahama's ascent to this premier position underscores not only his individual artistic vision but also his profound commitment to fostering cultural infrastructure within his home country, redefining the parameters of influence in the 21st century art ecosystem. Ghanaian artist ibrahim mahama has been named the most influential figure in artreview’s power 100 for 2025, making it the first time an african artist has claimed the top spot. the 24th annual ranking identifies the art world’s most influential figures over the past 12 months. Ibrahim mahama’s position at the top of the list is more than an individual accolade. it signals a broader shift in global cultural gravity and affirms africa as a site of artistic innovation, institutional imagination and expanding global influence. At the recently concluded kochi muziris biennale (kmb), ghanaian artist ibrahim mahama repurposed detritus of colonial postcolonial infrastructure to reconstruct his much discussed parliament of.