November 2023
XR
360° Film
Electric South
Art Installation
MAKU
XR
360° Film
Electric South
Art Installation
“When the last devoted keeper of a dying lagoon recognizes the true level of its desecration, she beseeches the lagoon’s spirit for guidance, and is commanded to perform sacrificial rites to atone for her community's neglect.”
Follow Maku, Sakumono’s last hope.
In this 360° virtual reality film, viewers follow Maku as she:
- Reminisces about the past when the lagoon was thriving.
- Meets the lagoon’s spirit, Onu, and receives instructions.
- Prepares for the ceremony and then participates in it.
- Performs the ultimate sacrifice to save the lagoon.
Remember the past.
December 2023
360° Film
Documentary
Virtual Reality
SAKUMONO
360° Film
Documentary
Virtual Reality
SYNOPSIS
Sakumono is a dramatized 360 documentary which tells the story of how a group of friends decided to revive the Sakumono Lagoon; a rapidly declining wetland in Tema, their beloved hometown.
After the global pandemic slowed the momentum of We Have Decided, a movement they started to address the lagoon’s plight and propose a plan for restoration, the team was compelled to consider new and unusual creative ways to generate sustained interest and engagement around the challenge of saving this vital wetland they cared so deeply about. Their subsequent explorations have included public art installations on the wetland, online crowdsourcing campaigns, an open call to artists and even initiating an annual ceremony of appeasement.
This narrative-driven 360 documentary will immerse the viewer in the team’s collective imagination as they navigate the complexities of environmental activism, community involvement, and the details of the different mechanisms they’ve explored to address the ongoing crisis. Through the lens of VR, viewers will witness the highs and lows of the team's journey, experience the beauty of the Sakumono Lagoon, its unsavory parts and encounter the creative spirit spurring the team on to make a difference.
MOTIVATION
I was born and raised in Tema where the Sakumono Lagoon is situated. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by the lagoon and the magnificent birds that migrate there every year. I’ve always regarded these natural wonders as some of the main things that make this place really special. So when I became aware of the deplorable state of the lagoon which I’ve always held so dear, I felt compelled to do something about it. And that’s exactly what my team and I decided to do.
Furthermore, as an artist who cares deeply about nature, I always look for opportunities to use my work to tell stories about protecting the environment and being better stewards of earth. I’ve volunteered in various community service projects to this end and have also contributed artworks to exhibitions that center on these topics. And through We Have Decided, my team and I have already began an initiative to save the Sakumono Lagoon, which has involved carrying out field tests with scientists, publishing a book about our initiative, and creating an online crowdfunding campaign which was accompanied by a short film we shot and edited.
For my team and I, Sakumono Lagoon’s potential is clear: it could be transformed into a special eco-park with benches and nature trails where people, animals and nature could all coexist together beautifully. Something like this will only happen though if more people cared enough. I do, my team does, and given our passion and our experience telling stories with various new media technologies, we believe we are the right people to tell this story.
January 2024
CAREC
Presentation
Prince Claus Fund
MEET AFROSCOPE
CAREC
Presentation
Prince Claus Fund
1 | Who Am I?
My name is Nana Opoku a.k.a. AFROSCOPE.
I am a creative professional from Ghana, working as a multidisciplinary artist and designer, and as a social entrepreneur.
I am a creative professional from Ghana, working as a multidisciplinary artist and designer, and as a social entrepreneur.
2 | Work
In my work I explore a range of themes including decolonization, oneness and our relationship to Earth and the environment.
Some selected examples of AFROSCOPE’s previous work.
February 2024
Mentorship
Vault Accelerator
Swiftway Shippers
ABUBAKAR: SWIFTWAY SHIPPERS
Mentorship
Vault Accelerator
Swiftway Shippers
PROFILE
The following profile was put together based on the initial hourlong mentorship meeting Abubakar and I had on Wednesday February 14 2024.
SWIFTWAY SHIPPERS: OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND
Founder: Abubakar has been involved in shipping and delivery-related businesses since 2019.
Evolution:
- Initially started as a courier company utilizing bikes.
- Transitioned into freight forwarding/shipping, with plans to reintroduce the motorbiking service in the future.
Origins:
- Inspiration came from working as a salesperson in Konongo, where Abubakar observed the challenges clients faced traveling for purchases.
- Launched delivery services with a single bike, expanding rapidly from Konongo to Kumasi, and then to Accra during COVID-19 as a pioneer of bike-based deliveries.
Education and Early Career:
- Gained insight into procurement and supply chain management while studying at Kumasi Technical University.
- Entered the freight forwarding industry with guidance and connections from a mentor met after high school.
BUSINESS MODEL & SERVICES
Exports: Focuses on agricultural products, cash crops, and timber.
Imports: Primarily FMCGs (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), appliances, and raw materials for production.
Services: Offers personalized shipping options, including end-to-end solutions and customs clearing services.
Client Base: 90% opt for sea freight due to cost efficiency, with some hospitals preferring air freight for urgency.
CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIC GOALS
Financing:
- Initial stages involved pre-financing and sharing warehouse space.
- Currently seeking to raise $100,000 by the end of April 2024 for 10% equity, aiming for expansion and operational enhancements.
Expansion Plans:
- Looking to relocate operations to a new warehouse in Madina or La Paz, with an estimated cost of $500 a month.
Market Position: Claims to be the second-best shipping partner in Ghana after DHL, with a competitive edge in flexibility and speed.
FUNDING & INVESTMENT
Past Achievements: Selected as an Anzisha Prize Fellow in 2002, indicating recognition and potential for growth.
Funding Allocation Plan:
- 21% for marketing efforts.
- 19% for team expansion, aiming to grow from two to six full-time members.
- 25% for acquiring a new warehouse.
- 35% for technology and software investments.
Investor Engagement:
- Exploring opportunities with angel investors, including introductions to investors in Kenya.
- Engaged with potential funders such as Seedstars, Baobab, and Founders Factory in Kenya, each offering different terms for investment.
ACCELERATION & MARKET POSITION
Innovation and Growth:
- Participated in the Vault Accelerator program as part of a rebranding and growth strategy.
- Pitched at Ghana Startup Week and plans to present in Cape Town in March 2024.
- Positioned in a nascent market in Ghana, with few competitors like Jet Stream Africa, which is transitioning towards a software-centric model.
SUMMARY OF MEETING NOTES
Here are links to all the meeting notes I took during my four mentorship sessions with Abubakar. Each meeting was about 1.5 hours long:
- Meeting One Notes
- Meeting Two Notes
- Meeting Three Notes
- Meeting Four Notes
Please note that the last three meeting notes were written after I had put together the program below, which we didn’t quite follow in the end. This was because I eventually understood that Abubakar’s needs at the time of my mentorship program weren’t in line with the outline program, and so I adjusted my approach to better match his needs, which he appreciated and benefited immensely from eventually.
WELCOME ABUBAKAR!
Your 4-Week Mentorship Journey Starts Here
This program is crafted to support you in elevating Swiftway Shippers and your entrepreneurial skills to new heights. Over the next four weeks, we'll delve into various aspects crucial for your growth and the scalable development of your startup. Each session is designed to spark innovative thinking, strategic planning, and personal growth, with practical deliverables to apply what you've learned.WEEK ONE: LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
Groundwork
Refinement
Business Model
NON-FUNGIBLE TREE
who be obi?
you be obi.
Obi are beings that spawn out of the Afroscope multiverse.
They reside within Àshe — meditatively made art which Afroscope began creating in 2014. Àshe centers oneness, spontaneity and Afrikan consciousness.
You can read the obi origin story here.
/ get your obi here /
They reside within Àshe — meditatively made art which Afroscope began creating in 2014. Àshe centers oneness, spontaneity and Afrikan consciousness.
You can read the obi origin story here.
/ get your obi here /
i be obi.
‘Obi’ also means ‘someone’ or ‘somebody’ in Twi; a language spoken by the Akan.
/ get your obi here /
/ get your obi here /
we all be obi.
We are all somebody, right?
Let’s take you, for example: You’ve got your own quirks, compulsions, talents, hopes, dreams and regrets, all of which are unique to you.
Just like you, obi are multidimensional and multilayered beings.
Essentially, each obi is a reflection our own mystery and diversity. They remind us to embrace and celebrate instead of hide our true selves.
/ get your obi here /
Let’s take you, for example: You’ve got your own quirks, compulsions, talents, hopes, dreams and regrets, all of which are unique to you.
Just like you, obi are multidimensional and multilayered beings.
Essentially, each obi is a reflection our own mystery and diversity. They remind us to embrace and celebrate instead of hide our true selves.
/ get your obi here /
obi = power in diversity.
Obi are here to remind us to create and be... free.
Ready for Obi?
Ready for Obi?
receive your obi here.
SPACE + VIOLENCE = POWER
In the updated visual direction shown above, the central figure is an ancient otherworldly tree, which symbolizes the power, the mystique and the brutality of the forest.
On and around this main character are markers of the violence it metes out to all that cross its path. The symbols of political power—like the cross, the coins, the animals—which orbit the tree are a reference to gravity of influence forests have had in the creation of order in both reality and in fiction.
On and around this main character are markers of the violence it metes out to all that cross its path. The symbols of political power—like the cross, the coins, the animals—which orbit the tree are a reference to gravity of influence forests have had in the creation of order in both reality and in fiction.
MYSTERY + MACHINERY
By abstracting and personifying the forest in this way, we end up with a recognizable symbol that can be extended and transported across various scenes to highlight different ideas.
The images above are examples of how this symbol can be used as a tool to communicate the central theme of Forest Imaginaries in different scenes.
Lastly, we see the tree come to life as it transitions across a spectrum of psychedelic gradients.
And so although the tree symbolizes death and the violence in this context, it is a living entity with a mystical allure and aura that underscore its power.
Thank you.
𓂀 ONYANKOPON 𓁹
One day Abena and I we were outside talking. She was telling me a story about her time in the navy. It was hard on her. “Really hard,” she said. Talking about it made her anxious. The memories flooded back and she couldn’t take it. So she took out a cigarette. It was tucked in her red Kate Spade bag. But God was watching oh, God was watching.