George Osodi
Nigeria, b. 1974
Gold Mine Obuasi, Ghana, from the series De money
2009
Photograph
Sold to a private buyer
Osodi’s exhibition titled “De money” or “The money” sets the lens on Ghana’s artisanal gold mining industry, a practice known locally as galamasey. This striking contrast of dark-skinned Ghanaian workers panning for gold, against the steep expanse of rich orange soil exposes the vulnerability of the miners in their working conditions. This series focuses on environmental degradation in Obuasi, Ghana, as well as the marginalized and exploited laborers working in the largely unregulated small-scale/artisanal mining industry. The photographs capture the dangers that these miners are subjected to daily, and aim to expose the irreparable scope of the environmental damage being done. This occupation carries a high risk of physical hazards, illness, and accidents, often causing miners to experience poverty and vulnerability within these mining communities. Through photography, Osodi aims to enamor and inspire his audience, prompting a change in both humanitarian and environmental conditions in the Niger Delta.
Yasmeen Wirth ‘22
Bibliography:
“George Osodi.” George Osodi, georgeosodi.photoshelter.com/portfolio/G0000vg6oHC6G7LQ.
An online gallery of George Osodi’s entire “De Money” exhibition, it also appears to be his official website so the information and photographs on it are authentic and credible.
Teschner, Benjamin A. “Small-Scale Mining in Ghana: The Government and the Galamsey.” Resources Policy, vol. 37, no. 3, 2012, pp. 308–314., doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2012.02.001.
A journal publication outlining the practice of Galamsey in ghana, the culture surrounding it and some of the hazards that accompany working in that environment.
Tschakert, Petra, and Kamini Singha. “Contaminated Identities: Mercury and Marginalization in Ghana’s Artisanal Mining Sector.” Geoforum, vol. 38, no. 6, 2007, pp. 1304–1321., doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2007.05.002.
An journal publication discussing the effect that ASM in Ghana can have on the inhabitants of the mining region’s surrounding communities.
