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Painter | Benin
Tchif (aka Francis Nicaise Tchiakpe) is an experimental colorist pur sang. In his abstract expressionist ‘total’ compositions, he explores freely various mediums such as acrylic, oil, pigments, ink and collage with textile fibers, paper or any other materials on canvas. His works emerge in various organic layers to which he adds his own symbolic language. That results in beautiful color compositions, full of nuance, movement and depth, estranged dream worlds in which there is a lot to discover.
“I want to show the ferocity and
enigmatic beauty of life.
Like the late Chinese painter Zao Woo-ki,
in this fusion of materials and colors,
I want to rather paint what you can sense but not see: the breath of life, the wind,
the movement”
Tchif (1973, Cotonou), also known as Francis Nicaise Tchiakpe, has been drawing and painting since the early age of 10. As most artists in Benin, he has developed himself as an autodidact. Starting off as a caricaturist for newspaper ‘La Nation’, he soon expanded his world of ink on paper and photography with painting on canvas, experimenting with different mediums. From early on he managed a successful independent art practice, exhibiting his first solo when he was only 21, crossing over to Europe the year after.
Tchif is an experimental colorist pur sang. In his abstract expressionist ‘total’ compositions, he explores freely various mediums such as acrylic, oil, natural pigments, ink and collage with textile fibers, paper or any other materials on canvas. His works emerge in various organic layers to which he adds his own symbolic language. Tchif: “I work barefoot on the ground. On the ground, I feel more comfortable. I feel closer to the painting, I am part of it. Sometimes I trample my works, to ‘tan’ them”.
That results in beautiful colour compositions in red ochres, blues, yellows, and other earthy colors, full of nuance, movement and depth. Estranged dream worlds in which there is a lot to discover. In Tchif’s world, life itself unfolds, centered around man and his relationship with the universe around him. A world full of movement, bright and dark sides, plunging depths, intriguing symbols and lines as cryptic indications of the complex laws that govern life: the cross represents suffering; the circle, the continuity of man; the zigzags, the joys and difficulties of life. Lines representing the random traces living species left behind, like compressed visualised poems adrift in the atmosphere, questioning life itself.
Firmly rooted and based in Cotonou/Benin, Tchif has built up an impressive artistic career over the years. He belongs to the national top of the contemporary art scene in Benin, where he is recognised as a permanent artist of the National Gallery – Contemporary Benin.
He is also well recognised internationally and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. He not only exhibited in a wide range of countries on the African continent, such as Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Fasso, Niger, Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Guinea and Morocco, but also way beyond in US, Brazil, Venezuela, Japan and across Europe in France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal.
His works are included in various professional collections and have been shown in several musea in Benin, US, Brazil, France and Belgium, a.o. the prestigious National museum for African art Smithsonian in Washington.
2019
AFRICA through ART INITIATIVE, Edge of Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
AFRICA through ART INITIATIVE, Zou no Hana terrace, Yokohama, Japan
2017
Collection “Africa my name’s Job”, Cotonou, Benin
2015
Pointe à pitre, Guadeloupe
Galerie Fremeaux, Vincennes, France
Galerie Vallois, Paris
2014
“Eau, Feu et Terre”, Barcelona, Spain
2013
Exposition Zik Zac Festival, Aix en Provence, France
Inauguration Galerie Tempo, Marseille, France
Galerie Omenka, Lagos, Nigeria
Mode is ART, Cotonou, Benin
2012
Expositie Résidence d’artiste, Kourou, Guyane
2010
Foot Culture – Installations photos, Espace Tchif, Cotonou, Benin
2008
Galerie Cardinal, Ajaccio, Corsica
2007
Exposition « Musée des Arts Derniers », Paris, France
2004
Galerie Alizé, Brussels, Belgium
Galerie Huijs Basten, Asbeck-Groenlo, Nederland
2003
IESA, Paris, France
2002
Galerie Regards, Croisés, Paris, France
Galerie d’art contemporain, Isle-sur-Sorgue, France
2001
Elf Village, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
1999
« Visages d’Afrique », Galerie ABC, Dijon, France
« Autocritique », Centre Culturel Français, Cotonou, Benin
1998
Galerie Espace Rivage, Paris, France
« Rêve d’un marabout », Ambassade de France, Cotonou, Benin
1997
MJC, Vieux Lyon, France
1996
GTZ, Cotonou, Benin
1995
« Zemidjans », Galerie l’Atelier, Cotonou, Benin
« Contemporary Bénin», Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Expo Sobebra for 60 years independence of Benin
2018
ART PARIS 2018, Paris, France
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair Marrakech 2018, Morocco
ViewPoints on Africa’s Arts Washington. Washington DC, USA
2017
AKAA Paris 2017, Paris, France
2016
Art fair PARIS, Paris, France
Centre d’art contemporain de Tanlay, France
So art et design, Megève, France
Carte et identité cloitre des billettes, Paris, France
2015
Art St Germain des Près, galerie Vallois, Paris, France
2014
Art fair DUBAI 2014, Dubai, UAE
Monumental Africa-Maestri d’Africa in terra d’Umbria_Centro Espositivo Rocca Paolina Perugia, Italy
Earth day Fowler Museum, Los Angeles, USA
Koton’oo Dak’ART OFF, Galerie Arte, Dakar, Senegal
Fleuve en couleurs, Saint-louis, Senegal
Vivres Domaine de chamarande, Essonne, France
Africa-Africans, Museum Afro-Brasil, Sao Paolo, Brasil
2013-2014
Blank Canvas, Art Twenty One, Lagos, Nigeria
2013
Earth Matters, National Museum of African Art / Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
2012 & 2010
Biennale Bénin, Cotonou, Bénin
2009
Africa ancestral e contemporanea, Centro municipal de Arte Helio Citica, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
2008
« O Benin está ainda là », Museum Afro-Brasil, São Paulo, Brasil
Créafrique 3 Méjannes, Le Clap, France
Expresiones Africanas “Fondation Daniel Suarez”, Caracas, Vénézuéla
Espace d’art, Centre culturel Jacques Brel, Thionville, France
2ème Salon d’Art Contemporain, Brussels, Belgium
Bénin Corps et Ame, Multimedia library, Melun, France
Fondation Zinsou, Cotonou, Bénin
Un monde “Toucouleur”, Espace Landowski, Boulogne Billancourt, France
2007
Institut des Etudes d’Afrique – Leiden – Pays Bas
Afriques, Espaces Humanités – Paris – France
2005
Den Haag, Galerie Chiefs and Spirits – La Haye – Pays Bas
2004
FIAD, Les Afriques – Musée des Arts Derniers – Paris – France
Biennale d’art contemporain – Louvain-la-Neuve – Belgique
« Africas », Galerie Raquel Arnaud – Sao Paulo – Brésil
2002
Sélection officielle « Dak’art 2002 », Biennale d’art contemporain, Dakar, Senegal
Musée d’Art Moderne de l’ULB, Brussels, Belgium
Exposition collective 8 artistes – Pontigny – France
2001
« Tchif, Quenum, Zinkpè, 3 jeunes béninois », traveling exposition in Benin, Niger, Burkina, Faso,Mali, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Foire internationale d’Art Plastique, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2000
« L’harmattan 2000 », 1er salon béninois d’Art Contemporain, Cotonou, Benin
1999
Pierre Galerie, Paris, France
Exposition Boulev’ard, Cotonou, Benin
Alliance Française, Lagos, Nigeria
1997
« Comme dirait l’autre », Biennale d’Art contemporain OFF, Lyon, France
« Zeitgenossische kunst aus Africa », Frankfurt, Germany
« Mémoire d’esclave », Genève, Switzerland
1996
« Contre le G7 », Galerie Chomarat, Lyon, France
1995
ABC Expo, CCF, Cotonou, Benin
Tchif’s work is regularly shown in collective exhibitions of Galerie Vallois Paris and is included in various professional collections, such as:
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