NOVICA Artisan Alex Boakye
Alex Boakye
I was born in Bonwire, a village in the Ashanti Kingdom renowned for kente weaving and thus my father, who was a master weaver, taught me when I was a young boy. I was actually like my father's pet, and for that reason I spent most of my childhood days by his side. By the time I finished basic education, I had become a weaver in my own right.
Now I have my own workshop and I work along five master weavers. A kente weave includes the blend of five colorful yarns, be it silk, cotton or rayon. We stretch them across a shuttle box to form the base of the kente stole. The finished piece is combined with plain black cotton or polyester material to sew the bags.
"I am motivated to create new designs whilst I sit quietly and listen to traditional African music. I am inspired by the desire to see my homeland emancipate from economic woes, hoping people around the world appreciate the beautiful things that come from Africa.
"The main challenge to my work has been my desire and ability to create something unique. I have taught several people the craft, and now some of them have their own studios. I have also participated in fair like the Ghana International trade fair, Sitho, Burkina Faso, and the Kentefest to commemorate Ghana's Golden Jubilee celebrations."