Ekow Eshun and Godfried Donkor: In Conversation

Join writer, curator and broadcaster Ekow Eshun in conversation with visual artist Godfried Donkor as they explore the ideas, influences and inspiration behind ‘Godfried Donkor: It’s a Numbers Game’.

Bringing together paintings, collages and embroideries, ‘It’s a Numbers Game’ traces the interconnected histories of Britain, West Africa and the Caribbean, revealing how questions of power, trade and resistance continue to shape the present.

Responding to Colchester’s layered history, Donkor explores the connections between Colchester and Ghanaian history, drawing together figures such as Boudicca and Yaa Asantewaa to reveal how stories, people and places remain connected across time and continents.

In this special live conversation, Eshun and Donkor will discuss Donkor’s practice, and how art can challenge accepted histories, reveal unexpected connections and invite us to see the past not as fixed, but as something continually reinterpreted through the present.



Ekow Eshun
Ekow Eshun is a writer, curator and broadcaster whose work has helped shape contemporary conversations around art, identity and culture.

Curator of the forthcoming British Art Show, he is widely recognised as one of Britain’s leading cultural thinkers. A familiar presence across the BBC and other major media outlets, he is known for bringing fresh perspectives to discussions of art, history and representation.

He is Chairman of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, and the former Director of the ICA, London, UK.

Eshun has curated exhibitions including, the critically acclaimed ‘In the Black Fantastic,’ Hayward Gallery, London, UK (2022); and is author of the books ‘Africa State of Mind’ (2020) and ‘Black Gold of the Sun’ (2005), shortlisted for The Orwell Prize.

Through his writing, exhibitions and public speaking, Eshun has become an influential voice in championing artists and stories that expand and enrich our understanding of contemporary society.



Godfried Donkor
Godfried Donkor is one of the most compelling artists working today on the intertwined histories of Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.

Through his artwork, Godfried explores themes of power and resistance, drawing unexpected connections between historical narratives and contemporary life.

This year marks a major moment in his career, with his inclusion in the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale and his first UK institutional exhibition at Firstsite.

Working between London and Accra, Donkor has built an international reputation for creating visually striking works that challenge conventional histories and reveal the complex cultural exchanges that continue to shape our world.



About ‘Godfried Donkor: It’s a Numbers Game’ exhibition
Step into a boxing ring. Stand face-to-face with the leaders and resisters who shaped history. Walk through waves of figures rising from the pages of the Financial Times.

Experience Godfried Donkor’s first UK institutional show at Firstsite – a powerful, immersive exploration of the shared histories between Britain, West Africa, and the Caribbean, revealing how Colchester’s own past is deeply intertwined with Ghana’s.

Photo courtesy: Godfried Donkor Gallery 1957, Photography by Zeinab Batchelor