Fire and rain: west African art hits Manchester – in pictures

The emblem of the exhibition is a new artwork designed by Meschac Gaba. His flag, which flies at each venue, is entitled Ensemble and brings together all the west African nations and the Union Jack in a gesture of solidarity and friendship Photograph: Meschac Gaba

Pascale Marthine Tayou, Home Sweet Home (detail), 2011 Photograph: Courtesy the artist

Pascale Marthine Tayou, Poupées Pascale (detail), 2010. These pieces will be installed on log pedestals around Manchester Art Gallery Photograph: Courtesy the artist

Romuald Hazoume, ARTicle 14: Débrouille-toi, toi-même, 2005 Photograph: Courtesy October Gallery, London

Georges Adéagbo, La resurrection de Edith Piaf Photograph: Macbook Marie/Courtesy Palais de Tokyo

Barthélémy Toguo, Climbing Down, 2004. Toguo will be installing a new commission at Manchester Art Gallery for the show Photograph: Courtesy the artist

Barthélémy Toguo, Jugement Dernier I Photograph: Fabrice Gibert/Courtesy the artist and Gallerie Lelong

Nnenna Okore, When the Heavens Meet, 2011 Photograph: Jonathan Greet/Courtesy October Gallery, London

El Anatsui, In the World but Don't Know the World, 2009 Photograph: Jonathan Greet/Courtesy of October Gallery, London

Nyani Quarmyne, from the 2010-2011 photography series We Were Once Three Miles from the Sea. The fishing village of Totope, near Ada, Ghana, is disappearing as the rising sea and worsening coastal erosion bury villagers' homes in sand. Caught between the sea and a lagoon, the village has nowhere to go. An elder told the photographer: 'We were once three miles from the sea' Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne

Nyani Quarmyne, also from the series We Were Once Three Miles from the Sea. Here, Quarmyne captures Numour Puplampo of Totope, who has been forced to abandon his home which has been buried by the sea Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne

Also from Quarmyne's We Were Once Three Miles from the Sea series. Paulina Dzimado's traditional family home in Lolonyakope near Ada, Ghana, has been destroyed by the rising sea. Having retreated previously, villagers can draw back no further as they are hemmed in by privately owned land Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne

Also from Quarmyne's We Were Once Three Miles from the Sea series. Seven-year-old Collins Kusietey in the remains of his house destroyed by the encroaching sea in Totope, Ghana Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne