Upon the terrain of intertwined fishing nets, rows of boats, homes, and sands, a large sign reads, “Welcome to Moree, Ghana’s Historic Fishing Capital. City of Light.” In this small coastal town on the periphery of Accra, children play along the ropes of a docked canoe, teenage boys bathe in the ocean, kids transform the sprawl of fishing nets into their playground, fishermen work day in and day out. In Jude Lartey’s debut photography exhibition, his camera serves as a window, illuminating the lives of the Morees with a deep sensibility.

On August 2nd, La Foundation for the Arts launched their Young Artists Series, offering a solo exhibition to a talented Ghanaian at a showcase space in Accra. This initiative aims to support exceptional local artists who often seek opportunities abroad due to a perceived limited resources at home. The first recipient is 24-year-old Jude Mensah Lartey for his ongoing photo documentary project, Land of the Morees. Curator and Executive Director Chantel Akworkor Thompson believes his work showcases how Ghanaian artists can make a mark on history and preserve culture through their art. Thompson is an independent cultural curator and educator based in Ghana, committed to advancing and preserving the vision of emerging art workers.

Land of the Morees is a collection of 11 cinematic photographs capturing daily life of the town’s residents. Each of Lartey’s images come alive. They feel far from frozen, holding a rare sort of intimacy. They are breathing, living, and feeling. A truly magical photograph can dispel the dimensions of distance and time. Lartey’s photographs contain that transient quality. The artist’s love for the people and the place of Moree shines through the images in a spell of sincerity. 

Jude Lartey is a key contributor to the expansion of contemporary photography in Ghana, which many are calling an 'African Renaissance.' Self-taught, his documentary-style photographs record the history of today, capturing truth, authenticity, and humanity. A dominant theme in Lartey’s work is new age masculinity in Africa. These pictures are writing the definition of what masculinity is, was, and can be. They depict boyhood and play, resilience and contribution to a greater whole. Ultimately, the distinctive, expressive faces of his subjects speak for themselves. 

At the opening, one aim was to bring the energy of Moree to the supermarket-turned-gallery space in Accra. A large fishing canoe was placed in the gallery, and DJ Muud Swingz provided a mix of classic Fantse sea shanties and Afro-inspired contemporary jazz. A critical essay by author Nii Ayikwei Parkes complements the exhibition. 

Parkes’ says, “Each photograph in the exhibition tells a unique story. From the fisherman glowing with interior completeness, to the kids immersed in play, and the washerman balancing basins with effortless grace, Lartey’s work captures moments of everyday life that are both extraordinary and profoundly human." As Parkes notes, "What Lartey gives us is different... this is their light, their water, their legacy, their nets, their blue, their glow, their world – Land of The Morees"