Tété Azankpo

1968

 

Born in Lomé, Togo

1984

 

Following graduation, he undertook training as a welder

1996

 

Set up his own studio in Lomé

1997

 

Held his first exhibition of wood sculptures

2005

 

Artist in Residence Project, Heinrich Böll Fondation, Germany

2008

 

First solo show in a museum (Leopold Hoesch Museum, Düren, Germany)

since 1999

 

Azankpo, a self-taught artist, has been showing his work across Africa and Europe

 

 

 
He lives and works in Lomé, Togo

 

Tété was awarded a scholarship from the Heinrich Böll Foundation for the winter of 2008/2009, living and working in the Foundation's atelier house in Langenbroich, not far from Dueren for four months. During his stay he created a series of very impressive material collages which he entitled

 

"La Mascarade".

 

In this series of work Azankpo reflects on disguise and masquerade, delusion and prevarication in the behavior of humans, which he, in particular, sees in the public appearances of politicians in both his home country and accross Europe.

 

Tété Azankpo is a political artist who deals with the social and communal circumstances of his home country in his works. - JM