Interview with Aida Esi Hayfron-Benjamin.

Photography by Kibwe Braithwaite

As Atlanta Art Week enters its fourth edition, Aida Esi Hayfron-Benjamin joins as Curator of Special Projects, bringing a wealth of experience shaped by her work across the Caribbean, West Africa, and the United States. With a practice rooted in cultural exchange, diasporic dialogue, and a deep appreciation for abstraction, Hayfron-Benjamin’s curatorial vision offers a timely and compelling contribution to the evolving narrative of contemporary art. In the conversation that follows, she reflects on her curatorial journey, the current landscape of the Accra art scene, and her motivations for spotlighting Caribbean abstractionist Kenwyn Crichlow in a presentation that seeks to bridge communities across the Atlantic.

Atlanta Art Week: We’re curious to hear how your path—both lived and learned—has informed the evolution of your curatorial ethos. How have your formative experiences, influences, and critical engagements converged to shape the way you approach exhibition-making today?

Aida Es Hayfron-Benjamin: My background starts in Trinidad and Tobago, where my Grandmother was a devoted patron of Caribbean artists, hosting receptions, exhibitions and collecting art in our home. As I moved on to university schooling in Miami, ArtBasel Miami became an undeniable influence as every year I saw art enthusiasts flock to the city from all over the world to engage with the international galleries on show, as well as the local art scene. This was where I first “curated” an exhibition, celebrating the History of Hip-Hop alongside a massive block party hosted by Gil Green at 305 Films. Upon completion of my undergraduate studies at the University of Miami I moved to Cameroon on assignment to manage a family funded Art Foundation - This was my first exposure to the continent, helping a collective of 25 Cameroonian artists bring exhibitions to life in Douala, Cameroon with the generous support of the Kadji Family. After two years, I transitioned to Ghana and was met by the “astronomical” rise of Ghanaian contemporary art and took up a position at the renowned Gallery 1957 – Steering their residency programme as their Artist Liaison, working hand in hand with some of the most exciting African and African Diaspora artists of the moment, curating their experiences in Ghana while making work and exploring the country. In 2022, I left the gallery to focus on opening my own space, Citizen Projects, which started as a curatorial practice and finally graduated to a brick and mortar space in the heart of Osu, Accra. My journey has led to a practice of total appreciation of art across the continent and the diaspora - a borderless and binding expression of humanity. 

AAW: What conceptual frameworks or discursive inquiries underpin this presentation?

AH: Through this presentation I am hoping to explore the connections we share across the black Atlantic - Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. As well as the power of abstraction to transcend racial and political ties - I hope everyone can enjoy the beautiful pieces that are free of any kind of individual representation - but speak to motifs of nature, color, emotion and humanity.

AAW: Can you describe the current art market in Accra? How would you characterize the current contours of the art market in Accra? What patterns are emerging in terms of collector behavior?

AH: Currently in Accra, we are all sobering up from the intense global attention that we’ve received over the last 6-8 years - We are focussed on building long-lasting programmes and institutions that will contribute to a healthy ecosystem for artists, curators and administrators to flourish. Collectors engaged with this ambition supporting emerging talent through acquisitions and patronage. Collectors are deeply engaged, doing studio visits with their favourite artists, collecting both the internationally acclaimed works and lesser known artists who will soon make their way to the international stage. Prices range from entry level - $500-5000 for emerging artists, and in the six-figure range for established practices. 

AAW: How would you describe the current institutional ecology in Accra? Which spaces, museums, or initiatives are actively shaping discourse and providing critical support for artists and curators working within the city’s cultural fabric?

AH: Many artist led spaces have become instrumental in supporting artists and curators - Amoako Boafo’s Dot.Ateliers residency for artists and Ogbojo residency for curators, Ibrahim Mahama’s acclaimed SCCA Tamale and Red Clay studio, Kwesi Botchway’s WorldFaze residency and gallery, as well as El Anatsui’s continued support and patronage of younger artists. 

AAW: How does this exhibition build a bridge between Atlanta and the African diaspora? What conversations or connections are you hoping to foster? 

AH: I am hoping to shine light on the Caribbean as part of the larger African Diaspora, with their unique proximity to the Americas but undeniable connection to west Africa through both ancestry and a steady post-colonial dialogue and exchange. 

AAW: In what ways does this exhibition operate as a conduit between Atlanta and the broader African diaspora? What dialogues, resonances, or transnational solidarities are you aiming to cultivate through this curatorial gesture?

AH: Kenwyn Crichlow has been so instrumental in supporting and developing emerging artists in the Caribbean, through his dedicated tenure as one of the founding administrators of the University of The West Indies Visual Arts Programme. Bringing his work to the Atlanta audience feels timely and important, as the art-world begins to shift its attention to the contributions of Caribbean artists to the canon. 

AAW: What initially drew you to this artist’s practice? Was there a particular conceptual thread, formal gesture, or singular work that catalyzed your engagement with their oeuvre?

AH: Crichlow’s abstraction has developed over the years into a recognizable language of organic shapes and forms - evoking landscapes of flora, fauna and underwater scenes depending on the colors used in the particular work. The use of line and stroke also brings to mind organic shapes on a molecular level - sometimes giving the impression of natural fibres, and connective tissues. The work is often large-scale and sprawling, offering a look into the artist's own internal landscape of emotional conflicts, conflicts which are resolved by his approach to making. 

AAW: Can you recall a recent exhibition that left a profound impression on you? What aspects of its curatorial approach, affective resonance, or conceptual architecture lingered with you long after the encounter?

AH: Most recently, the Paris Noir exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris moved me deeply - A collection of works from 150 artists working in Paris from the 1950’s - early 2000’s the exhibition marks the first time an institution in the city has recognized the impact and contribution of African, African American and Caribbean artists to the cultural landscape and production in arguably one of the most significant art capitals of the world. My hope is that through the work of that founders like Kendra Walker and myself do, contributions and cultural output of contemporary artists, particularly those most underrepresented, is duly entered into the canon via important moments and new platforms such as Atlanta Art Week.