With cuts to Switzerland’s cultural development assistance programmes looming, SWI swissinfo.ch speaks to Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama about the importance of global cultural exchanges. Ahead of its re-opening following renovations this summer, the Kunsthalle Bern unveiled an attention-grabbing installation covering nearly the entire museum building. It’s the work of Ibrahim Mahama, a 38-year-old Ghanaian artist. To help make this exhibition possible, the Kunsthalle secured a CHF5,000 ($5,900) contribution from the Swiss government’s South Culture Fund. With a yearly budget of around CHF700,000, the Fund enables Swiss cultural institutions to bring creatives from the Global South to Europe so they can showcase their work, have their book translated or do a residency. This type of international support, says Mahama, “gives [the public] access to art from very different parts of the world.” Exhibiting abroad helps to put his hometown, Tamale, on the art world map, he adds, and ...
