Deadly Prey
| Date | 02.28.26 |
| Time | 6pm–10pm |
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| Admission | $0–10 Sliding Scale |
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About Deadly Prey
Deadly Prey Gallery is pleased to bring our project to MoHA in Austin for a one night pop-up exhibition. The show will feature over 200 life-size hand-painted Ghanaian movie posters. All original artwork will be for sale, along with hundreds of low priced prints, stickers, tees and more.
Deadly Prey is a Chicago-based traveling art gallery working with 10 artists in and around Accra, Ghana, West Africa. We are dedicated to the preservation of hand-painted Ghanaian movie posters and supporting the artists who make them. With studios in Chicago and Accra, we house a unique collection that spans a 30+ year cultural tradition. These wild movie posters were once the product of a much larger industry known as the “Ghanaian Mobile Cinema” which started in the late 1980’s when Ghanaian entrepreneurs formed video clubs that traveled throughout the country. With a television, VCR, VHS tapes and a portable generator, they set up make-shift screening areas and would show movies that span from Hollywood action and horror, low budget American straight to video features, Bollywood films, Hong Kong martial arts movies to an ever-growing selection of native Ghanaian and Nigerian features.
With no affordable access to printing, the hand-painted movie poster was the most logical advertising vehicle for these mobile cinemas. Skilled local artists were now part of this growing entertainment industry in Ghana, and they brought their own distinct touch to each film they were called upon to promote. It was very common for the video operator to explain to the artists what to paint or give them reference material which might not exactly be in the movie. Often times extra violence, horror, sex and overall weirdness was added to these painted posters in an effort to sell more tickets!
By the mid to late 2000’s the mobile cinema had all but passed away, but these hand-painted movie posters remain a wonderful, tangible product of the time. Many of the same artists from Ghana’s former mobile cinema continue to paint movie posters as art with Deadly Prey Gallery on a commission basis to a growing worldwide audience today. 100% of merch profits go to them, our central focus being supporting these incredible artists who continue to paint these remarkable posters.
Open to the public. Get your tickets here.
Members Preview
A special perk for members of The Museum of Human Achievement and/or Hyperreal Film Club! Join us for early access to the show and a talk with Deadly Prey gallerist Brian Chankin. MoHA members, RSVP here. Hyperreal Film Club members, RSVP TBA.
5:00pm - Early access
5:30pm - Talk
6pm-10pm - Show open to general public
About the Presenters
The Museum of Human Achievement (MoHA) is a community-driven non-profit organization in Austin, TX grounded in affordability, inclusivity and access for artists. MoHA’s vision is for an empowered, resilient creative community where each member has the resources to foster well being, prosperity, and a self-determined future. We run a variety of programs in Community Abundance, Digital Arts, Exhibition, and Professional Development for artists, organizers, and audiences. https://moha.wiki.
Hyperreal Film Club is an Austin-based microcinema and community-driven nonprofit dedicated to bringing people together to watch underseen gems, cult favorites, bold new voices, and work by emerging local filmmakers. https://hyperrealfilm.club
