A Beach in my Living Room

Nyani Quarmyne 1973

Summary

Two walls stand at 90 degrees to each other, one pink, one red, both with peeling paint. There is a doorway in each wall. The room is filled with sand which reaches half way up the door frame. At one window we see a Ghanaian man in a white shirt, standing behind the window and looking at the camera. The image shows Numour Puplampo of Totope who has been forced to abandon his home as it has been buried by the sea.

Display Label

We Were Once Three Miles from the Sea: A Beach In My Living Room 2010-11 393 ppm CO2 Nyani Quarmyne Photographic print Numour Puplampo of Totope has been forced to abandon his home as the sea has buried it in sand. This image shows the nature of Totope where Climate Change is very real. A Ghanaian man standing behind a window looks directly at the camera, as the pink and red painted walls begin to peel. The man and room are half-submerged in the sand. Whilst the West looks at ‘mitigation’, Africa looks at ‘adaptation’. Quarymyne explores how the affluent find ways to remain comfortable and the less affluent must find ways to adapt to this. How would you adapt to this? Rabia Begum Gift of the artist 2014.26