The Intersection of Art and Environmental Crisis in Ghana
Ghana has become a significant destination for the world’s discarded clothing, where the overflow from the fast fashion industry ends up in bales carried by porters. These textiles flood Kantamanto Market, one of the largest second-hand clothing markets globally, and eventually contribute to environmental challenges such as clogged beaches and drains with textile waste.
Okrika Reclaimed is an art installation that confronts this crisis head-on. Located at Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, the project reimagines discarded clothing as both material and metaphor. It seeks to bring attention to the environmental and social impacts of the global fashion industry through a blend of art, activism, and community engagement.
Led by interdisciplinary artist Victoria-Idongesit Udondian, Okrika Reclaimed merges environmental activism with creative expression. The project includes large-scale installations, live performances, and hands-on community workshops. Its core focus is on clean-ups, creative reuse, and fostering dialogue around the issues surrounding textile waste.
Collaboration plays a vital role in the success of this initiative. Local partnerships with organizations like FCA Ghana and Revival Earth, a textile upcycling NGO and fabric lab based in Kantamanto Market, have been instrumental in making the project possible. The artist works directly within the market, engaging with tailors, merchants, and other key stakeholders to create responsive artworks that reflect the ecosystem they are part of.
A notable aspect of the project involves the kayayei—women who serve as head porters, many of whom have migrated from northern Ghana in search of work. The scale of the second-hand clothing trade places a heavy burden on their bodies, both literally and figuratively. Five of these women are currently working with the artist to create sculptural headpieces that reflect their experiences and roles within the market.
Beyond this phase, the project aims to spark a broader conversation about alternatives to this physically demanding labor. Real-time performances and installations will take place on site, culminating in two major events: a Public Talk at the Foundation for Contemporary Arts in Accra on July 10, 2025, and a Runway Performance at Kantamanto Market scheduled for July 11 or 12, 2025.
The project is supported by the 2024 Anonymous Was A Woman (AWAW) Environmental Art Grant, administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA), New York. This support underscores the importance of addressing the inequities and environmental damage caused by Western second-hand clothing exports to Africa.
An estimated 40 percent of these imports are unusable, leading to the creation of “clothing mountains” with severe consequences for local ecosystems and economies. For over a decade, the artist behind Okrika Reclaimed has explored the long-term impact of the second-hand clothing trade across Africa and the Global South, challenging systems of consumerism disguised as humanitarian efforts.
In its first phase, the project intercepted used clothing bales in New York and collaborated with immigrant communities to explore themes of labor, exploitation, and global waste circuits. This effort culminated in a large-scale textile sculpture exhibited at the 2023 British Textile Biennial.
Now, Okrika Reclaimed returns to the place most affected: Ghana. By working in and with Kantamanto Market, the installation transforms the market into a living artwork—a space of resistance, reclamation, and visibility. This next chapter not only critiques the legacy of second-hand fashion but also elevates local voices in shaping sustainable futures, driven by the Global South for the Global South.
