Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo
Burkina Faso, b. 1978
Untitled , from the series The Hell of Copper
2008
Photograph
1800 x 1200
Artist’s Collection
Agbogbloshie is the largest e-waste dumping site in the world. Located in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, residents of Agbogbloshie have adjusted to life in an environment marked by the effects of over-consumerism, poor waste management, and a disregard for the health and welfare of the workers on the e-waste site. In solemn tones of blue, gray, and brown, Ouedraogo captures three little boys sitting on computer carcasses watching their peers play soccer on an litter covered field. The children depicted above represent the heartbreaking reality of Agbogbloshie’s “normal”. Toxins released during e-waste processing contaminate the soil and water tables of the surrounding areas, poisoning those who are dependent on the land. In a statement about the intent of this exhibition, Ouedraogo said that “The planet and its citizens live through electronics. Now people must understand the injustices and the sad environmental and human consequences of our global electronic economy.”
Yasmeen Wirth ‘22
