Ghanaian student artist debuts a spidery ceramics exhibit near downtown Gainesville
Alex Awuku brought a childhood folktale to life in the Cotton Club Museum with clay and cables
Source: The Independent Florida Alligator
UF Fine Arts Master Student Alex Awuku hosts "The Wisdom of Ananse: Ceramic Sculptures by Alex Awuku," on Feb. 13th, 2026. The exhibit explores Ananse, a spider figure from Ghanaian folklore known for his cunning and wisdom. Photo by Aishani Lahiri | The Independent Florida Alligator
Spiders aren’t just scary arachnids; they are filled with wisdom about humans.
Ghanaian folktales tell the story of Ananse, a mischievous spider who tries to shortcut his way through life. In various legends, Ananse learns virtues such as exercising self-control by making mistakes and reevaluating his approach.
Alex Awuku, a 40-year-old UF fine arts graduate student, captured the mythical spider's essence in his immersive ceramic art exhibit, which debuted Friday evening at the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center in the Springhill neighborhood near downtown Gainesville.
“We all have the dream in Ghana to come to America,” Awuku said. “I thought of upgrading my knowledge and skills, so that I can go back and give to the community.”
Each piece is a deep, textured brown in the general shape of Ananse. To match each story, Awuku added technological elements, such as cords and keyboard keys, to illustrate the connection between the traditional and contemporary worlds.
Sometimes the spider is caught in the web of cords and cables, and sometimes Ananse sits atop spherical clay sculptures that resemble cauldrons.
Two colorful spider pieces occupy an entire wall, positioned in the center, with an outstretched web made of rope. They were bordered by computer mice that seemed to be encroaching on the colorful spider.
Awuku said he chose ceramics for this project because it was his medium back home in Ghana, and he feels connected to the clay because he used to have to process it from scratch. He said he feels sick if he goes one day without working with ceramics in the studio.
Awuku wanted to convey the depth of Ananse’s character in Ghana to his American audience. Ananse is often viewed as a trickster, but he has a complex nature and ambiguity in his character, Awuku said.
“What you are seeing here is the moral aspect of it, which is well known in Ghana,” Awuku said. “That is what I want to share with those also in the Western world.”
Awuku said he hoped attendees would “not forget our traditional culture — at least, let’s have our culture and let’s have the modern age also.”