Sokey Edorh
Sokey Edorh (b. 1955) is a Togolese painter with background studies in Philosophy.
His work delves into his cultural heritage and acts as a mirror reflecting his perception, while exposing present issues and past misconceptions in relation to his native Africa.
In the early 1990’s, Edorh embarked on the ambitious undertaking of creating a personal Dogon Alphabet, inspired by his visit to Sangha in Mali. Works such as Ecriture, Grenier Dogon, and Sangha are dotted with his signs and symbols, revealing enigmatic stories comparable to those that tell the daily life of hunters in a language familiar to them. His paintings are at once his means of communication and a documentation contributing to the legacy of his home continent.
Central to Edorh’s work, is the connection between nature as medium and language as mundane; his paintings are a vehicle used to reinterpret stories about the world around him. In the artist’s words: “I use laterite, the red earth found throughout the African continent, with which I construct my shapes and ideograms, which I call my ‘Dogon Alphabet’. I cover my canvases with these alphabets through which my impressions are revealed, and in particular my claims…”
At its essence, Edorh’s work confronts issues such as inhumanity, capitalism, the effects of colonialism, and Africa’s position in the age of globalization. The artist’s intention behind disclosing these subjects, is to bridge the gap between Africa’s past and the ever-evolving modern African society. Edorh’s utopian dream is ever-present in his work; he envisions a world that cannot be tainted by brutality, greed or destruction, but is based on coexistence and mutual understanding.
The artist chiefly works on large-scale compositions and uses natural red earth pigments. In recent years, he has expanded his means of expression to include mixed media, installation and performance.
Since 1991, Edorh has been included in numerous exhibitions worldwide and has received prizes across Africa, Europe and the United States. His works can be found in permanent museum collections including, The Newark Musuem of Art (USA), Lemhbrück Museum Duisburg (Germany), Conseil Général de la Gironde Bordeaux (France), and the Museum of Contemporary Art Barnako.
Sokey Edorh (b. 1955) is a Togolese painter with background studies in Philosophy.
His work delves into his cultural heritage and acts as a mirror reflecting his perception, while exposing present issues and past misconceptions in relation to his native Africa.
In the early 1990’s, Edorh embarked on the ambitious undertaking of creating a personal Dogon Alphabet, inspired by his visit to Sangha in Mali. Works such as Ecriture, Grenier Dogon, and Sangha are dotted with his signs and symbols, revealing enigmatic stories comparable to those that tell the daily life of hunters in a language familiar to them. His paintings are at once his means of communication and a documentation contributing to the legacy of his home continent.
Central to Edorh’s work, is the connection between nature as medium and language as mundane; his paintings are a vehicle used to reinterpret stories about the world around him. In the artist’s words: “I use laterite, the red earth found throughout the African continent, with which I construct my shapes and ideograms, which I call my ‘Dogon Alphabet’. I cover my canvases with these alphabets through which my impressions are revealed, and in particular my claims…”
At its essence, Edorh’s work confronts issues such as inhumanity, capitalism, the effects of colonialism, and Africa’s position in the age of globalization. The artist’s intention behind disclosing these subjects, is to bridge the gap between Africa’s past and the ever-evolving modern African society. Edorh’s utopian dream is ever-present in his work; he envisions a world that cannot be tainted by brutality, greed or destruction, but is based on coexistence and mutual understanding.
The artist chiefly works on large-scale compositions and uses natural red earth pigments. In recent years, he has expanded his means of expression to include mixed media, installation and performance.
Since 1991, Edorh has been included in numerous exhibitions worldwide and has received prizes across Africa, Europe and the United States. His works can be found in permanent museum collections including, The Newark Musuem of Art (USA), Lemhbrück Museum Duisburg (Germany), Conseil Général de la Gironde Bordeaux (France), and the Museum of Contemporary Art Barnako.
