Ghanaian artist and KNUST PhD student Ibrahim Mahama has dedicated his latest international honour, the Art Basel Gold Award, to the university’s Faculty of Art and blaxTARLINES KUMASI, underscoring the institutional support that shaped his artistic journey.

Mahama made the dedication during the inaugural Art Basel Awards ceremony in Miami Beach, where he received the Gold Award in the Established Artist category.

He praised the KNUST art community and his long-time mentor, Prof. Karî’kachä Seid’ou, for their role in transforming artistic practice and discourse in Ghana.

“I want to dedicate this award to the Art School in Kumasi, that is the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and to blaxTARLINES led by our mentor Prof. Karî’kachä Seid’ou, who has dedicated his life’s work to shaping the discourse of art making,” he said.

The Art Basel Award, selected by an international jury, represents the first global honours created to recognise excellence and innovation across the contemporary art ecosystem.

The ceremony brought together leading artists, curators, gallerists and cultural institutions.

Mahama, known globally for his large-scale installations and socially engaged practice, has built an influential presence across major pillars of the international art world.

His recognition at Art Basel, regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious art fairs, marks another milestone in his ongoing impact on global visual culture.