March 2025
onereez.com
Exhibitions aren’t static—they evolve. The way they are set up, the way they are experienced, and even the way they are remembered shifts over time.
The Vernal Exposition
My journey into exhibition-making started with The Vernal Exposition in 2014. A group of young Ghanaian artists—including myself—put together an exhibition with no prior experience. We learned everything on the spot: how to mount, source materials, structure the space, and create a meaningful flow. We had no external team to build things for us, so we did it all ourselves—making every decision intentional, from how we mounted work to the experience we wanted visitors to have.
This hands-on, problem-solving approach has shaped my perspective ever since. Whether working on large institutional exhibitions or small independent shows, I’ve realized that there’s never just one way to make an exhibition work.
Rethinking Exhibition-Making
Parsons
& Nubuke Foundation
Exhibition-making shifts drastically between large institutions and independent spaces. My experiences at Nubuke Foundation and Museum Rietberg highlighted these differences:
At Nubuke, the process was more hands-on. With fewer moving parts, we had more flexibility but also had to do more ourselves.
At Rietberg, I saw the extensive infrastructure behind exhibitions—teams dedicated to specific tasks, detailed timelines, and strict coordination. Decisions had to be made quickly, as each stage depended on another.
Both approaches have their strengths. Smaller spaces offer more creative freedom, while larger institutions provide structure and resources. My work with Heritage Concept in Basel sits somewhere in between—an exhibition that changes location yearly, adapting to each space’s constraints and possibilities.
Rethinking Exhibition-Making
Parsons
Rethinking Exhibition-Making
Parsons
The materials we choose for exhibitions aren’t just practical decisions—they shape how people experience the work.
Woori Festival
At Woori Festival at Nubuke Foundation, we saw firsthand how materiality affects engagement. Since the festival focuses on weaving and textiles, visitors were naturally drawn to touch the works. In Wa, textiles are a part of daily life, so separating them in a gallery context felt unnatural.
This informed our approach: sourcing materials locally, involving weavers from the community, and ensuring that the exhibition wasn’t just about viewing textiles but interacting with them. The festival’s structure wasn’t just about display—it became a space of learning, exchange, and value creation for artisans.
Rethinking Exhibition-Making
Parsons
Exhibitions don’t exist in isolation—the events around them can be just as impactful.
When We See Us, Pathways of Art, Look Closer
At When We See Us at Kunstmuseum Basel and Pathways of Art at Rietberg, I was involved in dialogue sessions, workshops, and video campaigns that deepened the exhibitions' impact. These experiences helped visitors connect with the themes on a personal level—something that static displays alone couldn’t always achieve.
This approach has reshaped my view of exhibition-making. Fringe events aren’t just add-ons—they’re fundamental to making exhibitions more immersive and accessible.
Rethinking Exhibition-Making
Parsons