Dominique Zinkpé, 1968

Since 1989, Dominique Zinkpé has regularly participated in exhibitions in Benin, and since 1995, in international exhibitions. His practice spans sculpture, painting, and installation.

At the core of Zinkpé’s work are human-sized sculptures — strange, hybrid figures constructed from branches, iron wire, and textiles. The twisted branches that form their bodies resemble mangrove roots, giving the sculptures a crooked yet upright stance. These beings combine animalistic and natural qualities with human characteristics.

These figures reference social and political realities at local, regional, and international levels, addressing themes such as political injustice, religion, and AIDS.

In his paintings, Zinkpé presents a world inhabited by ghosts — visual metaphors for the transformations experienced by people, animals, and vegetation as they interact with their environment.

source: