The Zenhaus Art Internship is an international, multidiciplinary programme located at Zenhaus, the mountain top studio of the legendary Ghanaian artist, Kofi Setordji, in the historical Eastern Ghanaian town of Akuapem-Mampong town, 35.6 Kilometers from Accra. Run by Setordji’s Arthaus, the internships uses two highly resourced creative hubs, namely Zenhaus and Arthaus Arts Centre, the Zenhaus internship provides a conducive environment where artists from all over the world can hone their artistic talents, collaborate, exchange ideas, and push their artistic boundaries. It makes artistic osmosis a daily reality, and helps interns develop a stronger sense of place in their chosen disciplines.

The programmes gives you the freedom to push your imagination to the optimum, and to pivot, broaden, reaffirm or consolidate your creative approaches, in the company of one of the greatest artists and teachers of the 21st Century. Above all, you will be understudying a warm and generous artist with a great sense of humour.

The Zenhaus Art Internship programe adopts a Total Art approach, offering dynamic, practical workshops (or materclasses) in sculpture, painting, and textile. Each strand exposes you in a non-dicatic way to African narrative devices and poetics, including symbolism, allegory, and satire, and the latent expressionism in African art. This is to underpin your inventive and interpretative skills.

CAPACITY

The Zenhaus Art Internship offes a maximum of four spaces at any time. The main languages of delivery is English, French, Ga and Ewe.

INTERNSHIP PERIODS

January – March

April – June

July – September

DURATION

4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 week, and 12 weeks

ART FORMS

Zenhaus offers workshops in the three art forms. You may may elect to specialise in one artform or work across forms. Other forms, including functional design, are accommodated whenever they evolve.

1. PAITING: This strand is designated as Painting as a Mode of Free Expression. It employs various media and bases. Zebhaus caters open air and in-studio painting. Quality of natural light is clean and extensive for long periods.

2. SCULPTURE: This strand utlilises wood, clay, metal (welded), and aluminium Sand Casting. These can be carried out in-studio or or outdoors in the grounds. Most media will be bought, or extracted from nature. Interns are expected to take an active role in the ‘foragiing’ for materials. There are no noise restrictions because of Zenhaus’s location.

3. TEXTILES: The strand entails Contemporary Looming/weaving, and Natural Dyeing . Dyeing utilises both fabrics loomed in-house or manufactured fabrics, such a calico, and natural or manufactured dyes.

4. PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES: This stand focuses on woodcut, linocut, and screen printing. This workshop introduces interns to Ghana’s Adinkra art as well as contemporary international forms.

ELIGIBILTY

This internship is designed for artists over 18 years old, who have at least graduated from high school, have an art practice, or are in transition. It is also suitable for recent university graduates or gap year students. This is a truly international programme, so artists from every corner of the world and cultural backgrounds can apply, so long as the applicant can show evidence of their work and passion.

FACILITIES:

Zenhaus offers ample work spaces, including a bright studio, well-equiped outhouses, and a spacious compound set in a beautiful ‘wild’ garden surrounded by nature. It also boasts a high capacity kiln built by Setordji.

MATERIALS:

Zenhaus provides most tools and materials, but interns may bring their own tools along. Additionally, Setordji encourages interns to attempt to make some of their own tools and find materials from the environment; an approach that immerses them more deeply in the organics of art.

((( IMPORTANT NOTE: Artists Paints are difficult to find in Ghana, so all painting participants must bring adequate paints and related media with them. )))

FOOD ACCOMMODATION

Food and Accommodation are included in the internship fees. Interns and tutors cook and eat all meals together. Good quality accommodation if provided in the form of a room or self-contained unit in a family house near Zenhaus.

OUR EXPECTATIONS

You should have a desire to innovate. We also encourage hardwork and a hands-on ethos as well as flexibility and ability to work independently when necessary. We expect you have finished at least one work of art at the end of your internship. You should be willing to share your work with a local school, through demonstration or discussionof your work and processes. This outreach is meant to afford interns a opportunity for cultural immersion. 

EXPOSURE

The Zenhaus Internship is a very holistic experience. Setordji’s central position in the Ghanaian art scene gives you unprecedented access to many art galleries, artists, art projects and studios, and historical places. You will help organise out of town trips, to the beach, concerts, and attractions, etc. 

END OF INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES

Each internship cycle culminates in a group show in a partner gallery. Invited guest include the media, collectors, notable art people and diplomats from the countries of interns, and others. This will take place every twelve weeks. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

The Zenhaus Art Internship offes up to ten spaces at any time. All applications are reviewed by Kofi Setordji and a small panel of leading artists and art writers. You must submit your application at least two months before the date you wish to start your internship. The successful applicant will be interviewed by Kofi Setordji via phone (Skype or Whatsapp) at a pre-arranged time.

NB: This is a very competitive programme, so applicants are advised to be confident and clear in their application statements and in the way they present their work.

FEES

4 weeks = $2,000 / 6 weeks = 2,500 / 8 weeks = $3,500 / 12 weeks = $4,500

• If successful, applicant pays a deposit of $250 to secure a place on the programe. The the remainder is due one month before the start of his/her internship. All payments are by card or cheque.
• Fees include accommodation and food during workshop sessions only. Cooking at Zenhaus is a communal activity, and every interns is expected to assist.