Ghana, 1994
Beatrice Opokua Atencah is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Art in the School of Visual Arts (SoVA) at Penn State University. As a visual artist and curator, she works primarily with textiles, installation, and sculpture, drawing on techniques from her fashion background. Her practice features manipulative and undulating forms that activate space through the interplay of hard and soft materials, treating the windows and walls as her mannequin. Through her work, Atencah explores how fiber art redefines our understanding of humanity and creates inclusive experiences within every environment.
Atencah's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in the United States, Ghana, and Turkey, with residencies in Elizabeth Murray (NY), Alfred University (NY) and Hambidge center (Georgia. She is currently curating and spearheading a travel exhibition that examines the dialogue between contemporary African artists and African art from the 15th through 19th centuries.