Soap Magazine
Anang has been helping to make the coffins since he was 8 years old. He saw what his grandfather had created and became committed to honoring that legacy, he says:“ I chose to work to maintain my grandfather’ s story.”
In 2009, Anang’ s work was featured in a TV commercial for Coca-Cola – owned sports drink Aquarius. He’ s represented Ghana at the Black World Festival in Dakar, Senegal; been invited to Milan Design Week; and his work has appeared in the Royal Ontario Museum.
In Anang’ s eyes, the demand for abebuu adekai is on the upswing:“ I’ m gaining a greater audience, and the demand for the coffins is growing,” he says. Anang has just returned from Kumasi, where he recently signed the lease for a workshop, so that he can expand to Ghana’ s second city.
Anang calls me a few days after we first speak to share the good news that he’ s just received a grant to go to Saskatchewan, Canada, to collaborate with 20 artists from around the world. This is reason enough to fight the rest of his family to keep the shop open, he says.“ It’ s a family business— a family legacy. I’ m hoping that they can see that.”
A portrait of Ernest outside the workshop. Photo: Theophilus
Mensah
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