A TWO-WEEK art exhibition on ‘Unearthing Voice, Heterotopia mistletoe galls,’ opened at the Volta Regional Museum in Ho last Saturday (July 13).

The exhibition uses the unconventional material of mistletoe galls which erupt from a sub-classed yet important parasite plant, as a profound metaphor for the experiences of marginalised communities in Ghana.

Heterotopia mistletoe galls are obligate parasites that require a living host to survive.

“These marginalised communities often exist on the periphery of society, pushing boundaries and carving out their own space, much like the defiant emergence of the mistletoe galls,†said the brain behind the exhibition, Rejoice Makafui Tsotorvor.

In a chat with the Graphic Showbiz at the opening, she said ‘Unearthing Voices,’ aimed to ignite empathy, inspire action, and envision a future where those communities thrived and shaped a more just society.

Rejoice (as she prefers to be called) is a sculptor and an art educator at Akatsi College of Education in the Volta Region.

Her work transcends mere depiction of struggle, a vibrant celebration of their resilience, resourcefulness, and unwavering hope.

In the exhibition, the PhD Painting and Sculpture student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) transforms mistletoe galls, parasitic growths often discarded and disregarded, into powerful metaphors, through installations and site-specific staging.

Like the galls themselves, Rejoice’s artwork compels all and sundry to question one’s perception of beauty and resilience.

The grotesque is transformed through a process of drying, treating, and polishing with coconut oil, the galls reveal a striking ebony core, a symbol of the inner strength residing in marginalised communities.

The married mother of two, who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture, and an MPhil in Art Education delves into the themes of social justice, identity, and power of marginalised communities to shape their realities through sculptures, photography, and installations act as catalysts for inquiry.

She utilised microscopic universe (mistletoe galls) to create connection between the natural world, with the human experience becoming canvas, a platform to challenge established norms and reinterpret contemporary issues.