Ibrahim Mahama (b. 1987, Tamale, Ghana) lives and works between Accra and Tamale. He studied painting and sculpture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. His practice is characterised by the transformation of everyday materials such as jute sacks, wood remnants, paper documents and found objects, which he uses to address histories of labour, migration and global trade. As Mahama notes, he is interested in how crisis and failure become inscribed within these materials, turning them into archival documents that can be reimagined toward social transformation. Textiles and architecture occupy a central role in his work, carrying the marks of time, place and use, and bearing the possibility of renewed futures. Collaboration is fundamental to Mahama’s practice, involving artisans, architects, technicians, traders and many others in the processes of collecting, reworking and installing his materials. In 2019 he founded the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) in Tamale, followed in 2020 by Red Clay, a vast studio complex with exhibition and research facilities, and in 2021 by Nkrumah Volini, a renovated grain silo and educational space. Through these institutions he has contributed significantly to the growth of the contemporary art scene in Ghana. In recognition of the global resonance of his socially engaged practice, he was named the 2020 Principal Prince Claus Laureate. Mahama has exhibited internationally at institutions and biennials including the Venice Biennale, Documenta 14, Centre Pompidou and Kunsthalle Wien. In 2023 he served as Artistic Director of the Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, and in 2024 he was awarded the Sam Gilliam Award. In 2025 he was granted a diplomatic passport by the Republic of Ghana in recognition of his cultural contributions. His work is held in numerous public collections worldwide. He is represented by APALAZZOGALLERY and White Cube.