Meet Sena Ahadji, our Artist in Residence for fall 2022. Sena is a Ghanaian artist, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Accra. She has a wide range of experience with mediums such as painting, screen printing, digital art, sculpting, polymer clay jewelry making, and ceramics painting. Some of her artworks involve up-cycling with recycled material, and she also loves organizing and coordinating workshops for children using recycled materials. She loves to work collaboratively, and is passionate about reading, researching, attending workshops, art talks, seminars, and anything else that helps her expand her artistic skills.
During her residency with us, Sena focused on textile as a medium, as well as small business ownership. She facilitated workshops for mask design with children, coordinated a procession, and designed new products incorporating our fabric ends. She also learned about the importance of quality control, financing, and the skills involved in fabric design. Sena says she was struck by how thorough Osei-Duro is with the quality control of every single product made, from the dyeing to the finished pieces, and how this step helps to maintain consistency and uphold a standard across production.
Sena spent the first few weeks of her residency with our other artist-in-residence, Moses Adjei, brainstorming, designing, and experimenting with fabrics. They tried out different techniques and materials like white glue, fabric scraps, magazines, and resin on various items like coffee tables, benches, and a suggestion box that now sits in our Osei-Duro headquarters. At the Lincoln Community School Christmas Bazaar, they tested the market with a series of products they made using Osei-Duro scraps and found that some of their products sold better than others. They were thrilled to see that fanny packs, kimonos, tote bags, and mini drawstring bags were popular among shoppers. However, they also learned that soft boxes, double-sided napkins, and oven mittens did not sell well. This experience provided them with valuable insight and inspiration for future products.
In addition to her residency, Sena served as one of the project coordinators for Longitudinal Dialogues. The project connected six schools in Accra and six in London through workshops and creative activities inspired by the Ghanaian artist Attukwei Clottey's practice. Sena integrated her work with Osei-Duro into the project, using recycled materials, including Osei-Duro scrap fabric pieces, to design masks for a procession through the streets of Labadi. Longitudinal Dialogues aimed to explore the role of art in public space through a commission by Attukwei Clottey.
Going forward, Sena plans to continue exploring the potential of fabric design. She is excited to incorporate her newfound knowledge of fabric design into her artwork, including starting her own online shop. Plus, Sena submitted some print design ideas to Osei-Duro and recently saw the sample prints. She is eagerly waiting to see if they make the cut and is excited to continue exploring the world of fabric design and all it has to offer.
Longitudinal Dialogues: Serge Attukwei Clottey procession on 26th May 2022 from The Line on Vimeo.
