Accra Chale Wote Street Art Festival 2022 with the theme of “Stargate”, harnesses the power of storytelling and art to reinterpret African folklore into otherworldly experience. The week-long festival concluded last weekend with evocative still and moving art installations, a makeshift boxing ring and spontaneous performances by a flash mob of dancers, drummers, cyclists, skaters and stylish patrons. It was scored by thunderous musketeers, brass bands, hip-hop and Afro-pop. Experience unconventional art, music and live performances. The 2022 version is a return to face-to-face after a break at 2020 and a virtual presentation at 2021. Chale Wote is a truly pan-African event, showcasing the richness of cultures from every corner of the continent. Held near Jamestown, the festival consists of a main stage with rotating events and vending stalls lining the main street. A huge wooden installation adorned with vivid frescoes forms the gateway to the festival. Ussher Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also hosts exhibitions as a temporary gallery, but the open streets will see the most striking displays of art and tailoring. The costumed parade includes the flamboyant Egon Gun Masquerade and Royal Messengers from the city of Benin. The two glamorous queens stole the show in Kent and appliquéd adinkra cloth, with horn-shaped tiaras. Artist and designer Nii Nortey also performed his alter ego, dressed in a rainbow-colored African cloak, complete with a Halloween mask.
Chale Wote in the most daring street style where the rules are outdated. A sunny afternoon seems perfect for a feast of colorblocking and edgy African prints. Chunky jewelry, body paint and tattoos, and dramatic Afro hairstyles reference the Afro-punk of the ’80 era. Some keep things simple and impactful, like wearing high-waisted jeans And attendees of bold striped sailor sweaters. Want to get a little nostalgic for the ‘s? Check out this streetwear connoisseur in a Dada Supreme jacket and Sean John baggy jeans. Lots of glitz too One customer repurposed an old CD into an oversized tee, while another wore mirrored denim. The grand gateway to Chale Wote may be closed now, but the memory of extraordinary street style remains. See The best below.
