REFRAMING WASTE AT ABURI COMMUNITY, GHANA: ART AS A RESPONSE TO URBAN CONSUMERISM

Abstract

This creative, art-based study, underpinned by a phenomenological design, employs a pragmatic approach to propose an alternative solution to solid waste and the associated pollution. In this contemporary era characterised by urbanisation, industrialisation, and high consumerism, waste generation cannot be overlooked as a critical issue in the global sustainability discourse. This interventionist study investigates the socio-economic and ecological impacts of dominant solid waste materials in the Aburi community, with particular attention to the effects of inadequate management strategies. In this context, four interconnected investigative concerns were addressed by integrating sustainability ideals and aesthetic principles, thereby unifying theoretical and practical dimensions. This qualitative research, underpinned by Behavioural Change, Transformative Learning, and Eco-aesthetic theories, examined the perspectives of purposefully recruited participants using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were generated through personal interviews and focus group discussions, while both participant and non-participant observations were employed to elicit insights beyond verbal interpretations across the study’s phases. The conclusions drawn from the various chronological phases of the study, including interpretations from the participants, perspectives, and the researchers’ observations, underscore the study’s potential to foster the recontextualisation of waste for aesthetic and sustainability significance.