Guinness World Record holder and visual artist Sharon Dede Padi has paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, to formally present her certificate for creating the world’s largest leaf-print painting.
The visit followed her recent recognition by Guinness World Records for producing a 54.33 square-metre leaf-print artwork depicting the Ghana flag. The piece was completed within 33 hours using natural leaves sourced from across the country, including cocoyam, plantain, cassava, cocoa, coffee, shea, orange, and lemon leaves.
Madam Gomashie congratulated the artist and praised the work for its strong cultural symbolism and its innovative approach to visual storytelling.
She noted that the project goes beyond aesthetics, contributing to the preservation of indigenous knowledge related to biodiversity, food systems, and traditional medicine.
The Minister encouraged Ms Padi to further document and categorise the various leaves used in the artwork, suggesting classifications such as edible, medicinal, ornamental, or unknown.
According to her, such documentation could unlock economic opportunities in gastronomy, cultural enterprises, and sustainable development.
On public exhibition, Madam Gomashie advised that preservation should be a key consideration.
She recommended indoor exhibition spaces or carefully selected tourist sites to protect the artwork from weather damage and ensure its longevity.
The Minister explained that while the Ministry’s core mandate focuses on policy formulation, it works closely with relevant agencies and partners to support initiatives within the creative and cultural sectors.
In her remarks, Ms Padi recounted that the achievement followed an unsuccessful attempt at a painting marathon in March 2024. After that setback, she explored alternative record categories and subsequently sought approval for the leaf-print painting category.
She submitted evidence of the completed artwork to Guinness World Records in July 2025 and received official confirmation on December 9, making her the first person in the world to hold that title.
Ms Padi announced plans for a press conference scheduled for February 19, as well as an exhibition that will integrate leaf-print art with elements of Ghanaian culture, poetry, and music.
Additional plans include the production of a coffee-table booklet for tourism facilities and the creation of a miniature version of the artwork.
She also appealed to the Ministry for support in exploring the possibility of mounting the piece as a national monument at a suitable tourist site, expressing her willingness to donate the artwork to the nation.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
