By Japhet Alakam

THE exhibition hall of Alexis Galleries, on Akin-Olugbade Street,Victoria Island wore a different look as the walls were decorated with various sizes of paintings and the floor adorned with many sculptural pieces. By the number of works and calibre, one would ordinarily conclude that it was a group exhibition but that was not to be, rather it was a solo show by internationally renowned artist, Dominique Zinkpe.

Born in Cotonou, the award-wining artist, who has exhibited widely and whose works has attracted a lot of interest in Nigeria is holding his first solo exhibition in Nigeria titled Mystery, an exhibition of new paintings, sculptures and installations.

The exhibition which features about 40 works opened on October 19, at Alexis Galleries,Victoria Island  and will run till October 26th.  Dominique Zinkpè who is unarguably one of the most recognizable contemporary artists to emerge from his country is bringing to Nigeria his personal style and versatility as a painter and sculptor to Nigerian art lovers.

*One of the paintings displayed by Dominique Zinkpe at the exhibition

Speaking about the title, Zinkpe who has spent many years documenting images from his locality, stated that “it is just about the mystery of the things we talk about and things we don’t know. For example we all share the feeling of Ibeji in Ghana, Nigeria, Republic of Benin etc. but in different languages. So the exhibition tends to unify us (West Africans) since we cannot do that in languages, we can do it with works.”

A look at some of the works reveals the creative ingenuity of Dominique Zinkpè. The works are complex and wide ranging, spanning installations, drawings, painting, sculpture and video. There is a restlessness within Zinkpe that prevents him from confining his creative processes to one medium, but his paintings and drawings represent his most intimate work – significantly they are produced at the private studio in his house as opposed to his hectic sculpture and installation studio in the centre of Cotonou.

Zinkpè’s sculptures are very complex yet delightfully hard-work related. Many of them consist of assemblages of carved wooden ibeji dolls that engage the Yoruba concept of twinship. They are very symbolic and speaks about his interpretation of African culture. Coming from a Francophone background where they are somehow spiritual, the works reveals the positive experience of exchange between urban and rural culture in his own country. It is all about keeping his heritage but making it more contemporary as shown in works like Ibeji, Gate to Osogbo etc.

The paintings and drawings follow tortuous journeys where figures hover midway between human and animal, recalling power games, masquerades or sex, all with a strong satirical flavor. The works reflect  the mystical, philosophical, and cultural conundrums thrown up by the merging of Catholicism and Animism and traditional and contemporary culture. His distinctive brilliance reveals itself on the canvas; intimate, powerful and coquettish. The works are disturbing and arresting constructs of the imagination mirroring the dilemmas and complexities of Zinkpe’s own life.

The exhibition which is proudly sponsored by Nokia West Africa (Nigeria) Limited and Alexis Galleries is supported by other art loving organisation like, The Avenue, Verve Clicquot, The Homestores, Arra Vinevanda, Cool fm, Choko Royal, Nigeria life and Wazobia fm.