Pop-up exhibition Benin Now! (2025)

OpenArtExchange presents the exhibition "Benin Now" at Fikri. The exhibition will conclude with a festive finissage on Sunday, April 6, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Stop by, enjoy a drink, and discover the art at Fikri, Keizersgracht 389 in Amsterdam. We are grateful to Fikri for the space and collaboration.

Benin, the birthplace of the traditional African Vodoun religion, is also home to other related belief systems with rich spiritual traditions dating back to the earliest times. The country has an impressive history, shaped by powerful kingdoms and fierce wars. Stories of glorious heroes, the legendary Amazons, and exceptional courage and loyalty are a source of national pride. But Benin also has a past full of tragedy, culminating in the dark age of the slave trade. The Beninese soil has seen both the best and the worst of humanity and reflects this rich and complex heritage.

In this exhibition, we present the work of five artists who are deeply rooted in this layered history and the spiritual heritage that is still palpable in every fiber of Beninese society: Tchif Tchiakpe, Sanda Amadou, Marcel Kpoho, Sébastien Boko and Elise Tokoudagba.