Hand-Painted Film Posters of Ghana: A Cultural Tradition Resurrected for Global Art Enthusiasts

In Teshie, near Accra, Heavy J meticulously applied red oil paint to a flour sack canvas, depicting a man wielding a blood-stained knife. Above, an outline of a skull emerged—elements starkly incongruous with the animated fairy tale The Little Mermaid he was illustrating. Known professionally as Jeaurs Affutu, the artist explained, “We amplify details to captivate audiences.”

From the late 1970s to the early 2000s, hand-painted film posters were integral to Ghanaian film culture, adorning local video clubs. Artists transformed original narratives into vivid, surreal interpretations, often embellishing plots with humor or fantastical imagery to draw crowds. Competition among video centers fostered a tradition of creative reinventions, with painters crafting what they termed “forgeries” to outshine one another.

The decline began in the early 2000s as infrastructure and personal entertainment access expanded. Video clubs shuttered, and painters shifted to other crafts. Yet, these posters gained international acclaim through publications and exhibitions, elevating vintage pieces into sought-after collectibles. A renewed interest emerged in the 21st century, fueled by digital platforms and Western audiences passionate about film history.

Deadly Prey Gallery, co-founded in 2012 by Robert Kofi and Brian Chankin, collaborates with 15 artists to sustain this tradition while meeting global demand. Kofi, a former video club “hype man,” pairs artists with commissions, guiding their work to align with clients’ visions. Based in Accra, the gallery ships completed works worldwide, with U.S. orders dominating requests for action, horror, and sci-fi classics like The Exorcist and Star Wars.

In Ashaiman, artist Benjamin Amartey, known as Stoger, painted dual commissions: a horror scene for Poltergeist and a controversial still from Gummo featuring three cats and a spaghetti-eating figure in a bathtub. During a review, Kofi urged more intensity, requesting “uglier cat scenes” and “dirtier spaghetti,” reflecting the genre’s emphasis on dramatic flair.

Joseph Oduro-Frimpong, director of the Centre for African Popular Culture at Ashesi University, notes the roots of this exaggeration in the African tradition of “visualizing the invisible.” Artists, he explains, infuse imaginative interpretations inaccessible to audiences unfamiliar with the films, blending cultural storytelling with sensationalism.

Historically, these reinterpretations sparked backlash, including an incident where viewers attacked Kofi after realizing a poster’s beheading scene was fabricated. Today, the Centre for National Culture in Accra showcases dozens of these posters, including a striking Anaconda piece with Jennifer Lopez and a Halloween-themed work featuring a mouse emerging from Jamie Lee Curtis’ mouth.

“We are preserving a tradition,” Kofi affirmed. Through Deadly Prey Gallery, this craft continues to bridge Ghana’s cultural heritage with global art markets, ensuring its legacy endures beyond the video clubs that once defined it.

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