Tetteh Quarshie Monument, Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital

This monument of Tetteh Quarshie was commissioned by the management of Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in honour of the historical figure widely associated with the introduction of cocoa into Ghana. The execution of the work required extensive preliminary research to achieve a representation that was both credible and respectful of the subject's identity. As part of this process, the artist visited Tetteh Quarshie's family house at Mampong to obtain a more reliable visual reference for the sculpture. The family possessed only a single photograph of him, which is also the image commonly associated with his representation on Ghanaian currency. However, because the available photograph was old, black and white, and visually unclear, it presented challenges for accurate sculptural interpretation. At the initial stage of production, the indistinct quality of the image led to the assumption that the subject's hairstyle was dreadlocked, and the first sculptural version was therefore executed with locks. Further consultation with family members, however, clarified that Tetteh Quarshie did not wear dreadlocks, but rather kept his natural hair. This clarification informed a revised and more accurate reproduction of the monument. The final work, therefore, emerged through a process of investigation, correction, and refinement, underscoring the importance of research and consultation in portrait sculpture. In addition, the images incorporated on the pedestal were developed through material experimentation. A mould was produced from actual cocoa pods and seeds, and powdered pigment was applied as part of the surface treatment before the work was bronzed. This process reinforced the conceptual link between the monument and Tetteh Quarshie's historic association with cocoa cultivation in Ghana. Within the context of this study, the monument stands as both a commemorative sculpture and a research-informed artistic production that combines portraiture, historical inquiry, and material symbolism.