Eric Gyamfi Teak Atlas: From where do we begin? (2), 2022 Photograms on Rayon Batiste cotton fabrics treated with a combination of teak pigments and cyanotype emulsion Work: 365 x 122 cm
The teak plant can be found in almost every region in Ghana. Ubiquitous as it is, no clear account exists of its initial entry into the country.
While some records hint at the 1930’s, others (mostly oral and visual) point to an earlier introduction, between 1905 and 1911. This earlier account is allegedly tied to a German forester, Herr Metzger who is said to have embarked on an afforestation program in the then German Togoland, an area encompassing sections of the western and eastern parts of present day Togo and Ghana respectively. Teak was introduced then in addition to plants like Mango in a mono cropping /plantation project.
The project, “Teak atlas: From where do we begin”, is an exercise in waiting actively. Focusing mostly on the leaves of the plant, the work consists of cotton fabrics treated with both teak pigment and later with photo emulsion. The two over time are meant to respond/react with each other. This is done as a means towards understanding the very material nature of the plant using photography as a starting point.
