Doesn’t this Tribe and Tribulation Sculpture command attention? It stands tall here on the Greenwich Peninsula. Tribe and Tribulation is more than just an artwork. It’s a totemic sculpture created in 2022 by Serge Attukwei Clottey.
The Tribe and Tribulation Sculpture is part of The Line’s Longitudinal Dialogues program. It uses its location on the Greenwich Meridian to spark global cultural exchange. Its location connects to historical trade routes. It also encourages us to consider water’s role. Water is a recurring theme in Clottey’s work. The Greenwich Meridian links London and Accra.
Tribe and Tribulation stands over five meters tall. Its cubes consist of reclaimed wood. This includes painted timber from Ghanaian fishing boats. This shows Clottey’s interest in our relationship with the ocean. He is also interested in migration and the afterlife of objects.
Embedded within Tribe and Tribulation Sculpture is a sound installation. It features recordings from Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle. James Fort is also included. A location on the Meridian Line in Tema completes it. These first three sites were once slave forts in the Gold Coast. Some buildings are now world heritage sites. They honor the memories of enslaved captives.
The sound installation projects north, south, east, and west. It invites listeners to consider how life has changed at these historic sites. The waters are now used by local fishermen.
Clottey’s art employs found materials from Accra, Ghana. This creates a dialogue with the city’s cultural history and identity. He uses everyday objects like discarded Kufuor gallons and recycled boat wood. Clottey inscribes patterns and text that uplift these materials. They become symbols of Ghana’s vernacular economic system of trade and reuse.
The celebration of yellow gallon containers is prominent in Clottey’s work. These were initially used as cooking oil canisters. Later, they were recycled to collect water or fuel. Clottey wants to inspire people to work with plastics. He encourages recycling in creative ways. He calls this practice “Afrogallonism”.
In spring 2022, workshops were delivered at six primary schools in London and Accra. Around 600 children participated. They used plastic rubbish and recyclable materials to create masks. These masks were inspired by Clottey’s practice. On May 26, 2022, children took part in processions in both cities. They celebrated the Tribe and Tribulation project.
Serge Attukwei Clottey developed this commission during a research residency. He stayed at Royal Museums Greenwich in September 2021. The Line and Arup Phase 2 co-curated Tribe and Tribulation Sculpture.
So, as you stand before Tribe and Tribulation, remember its layers. Think about history, trade, and the echoes of the past. Consider how art can transform discarded materials. It can also connect communities across continents.