Katalin Torda, a Hungarian bead artist living in Ghana and awarded Pro Cultura Hungarica award, was the guest at online meeting of the Africa Knowledge Center in March.
Katalin Torda’s first bead exhibition was held at the Loom Gallery in Accra in 1985, and her jewellery designs have since been exhibited not only in Ghana but also in Hungary, Germany, the Dutch National Museum, Denmark, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in the United States. The latter museum was one of several venues where he gave a lecture on the cultural significance of beads in Ghanaian life. He was a founding member of the Ghana Bead Society in 1994, the first institution of its kind in Africa.
In addition to extensive collaboration and research with international agencies such as UNESCO, he co-edited the book “Ghana: Where the Bead Speaks”. Kofi Antubam illustrated his recently published book, Ghana’s heritage of culture, with his works of jewellery and bead art. Katalin also worked closely with a number of museums, including the Ethnographic Museum.
Katalin Torda’s beads adorned countless models on the catwalk, many Miss Ghana and Miss Malaika contestants, furthermore GTP and Woodin’s new fabric collections adorned with contemporary jewellery accessories. She has appeared in the international magazines Agoo, Time Out, Dream, Canoe and Revue Noire.
In 1996, he opened the Suntrade Beads Shop in Accra, which sells locally made beads, bead jewellery and home accessories. A TripAdvisor certified business is a must for travellers and bead enthusiasts around the world.