Dominique Zinkpe (Beninese, born 1969)


Untitled signed 'ZINKPE' (lower right)acrylic on canvas85 x 100cm (33 7/16 x 39 3/8in).
|ProvenanceAcquired directly from the artist.A private collection.Dominique Zinkpè was born in 1969 in Cotonou. Benin's history, its pre-colonial greatness and the impact of subsequent French rule, is embedded in his work. His visual language draws inspiration from Catholicism, Animism and indigenous traditions - celebrating the nation's rich diversity, but also highlighting the unresolved tensions. The artist's recent paintings depict "a world of ghosts". His figures are a hybrid of human, animal and mythical beast. It is often unclear whether they are among the living or the dead. Their maniacal dance evoke traditional Beninese rituals. Pregnant and fertile women occur frequently, through which the artist explores themes of desire, reproduction, abortion or expectancy.Zinkpè was awarded the Prix Jeune Talent Africain (Young African Talent) Award at the Grapholie in Abidjan in 1993. In 2002 he received the West African Economic and Monetory Union (UEMOA) Prize at the Dakar Biennale.