My world
 
Fekpe Koffi from Togo is in harmony with his work

By Annette Mikkelsen

The key to understanding the ideas of the artist Fekpe Koffi are the themes: 'the secret of black beauty,' 'the African woman throughout civilization', and his idea of 'no boundaries in art or in life'.
All his life, Fekpe Koffi has travelled and lived as though no boundaries exist. He was born in Eweland, which is divided between Togo and Ghana. His father's land is actually on the borderline of the two modern African states.
Koffi was born in Ghana, but with Togolese roots, and is citizen of Togo. Koffi got his art education in Ho, Ghana, and has lived in Burkina Faso, France and now lives in Denmark. He has travelled to several contries with his art.
The idea of no boundaries is illustrated through Koffi's choice of technics and various styles. He makes oilpaintings, portraits and collages. Much of his work is in the cubist style.
Koffi has a fascinating way of combining materials such as metal, plastic, newspaper, jute, thread and wire.
It was as a member of the artist group 'Agisymba' in Lomé, that he found his own identity as an artist. The support and engouragement from the other artists convinced him that he wanted to work and live as a painter. Since then he has followed this line of work. He describes this in his own words:
'My world' is a collage in jute and metal. It is an illustration of his own world. A world without borders between countries and people.
The same theme is accomplished in his work called 'Frontiers'. It is made of jute sacks used in wineproduction.
The stains inspired him, becauce they formed a map. He has put the sacks on two pieces of board, so they look like two continents. They are held together by a bamboo stick, figuring almost as a bridge.
Within both frames Koffi has painted rectangular landscapes. These symbolize that all people and countries are one.
Likewise, Koffi is one with his art. 

Secret of black beauty

I paint beauty and life
Beauty has a colour
Black is the colour of beauty.
The salvaged material
vitally creates life after death.
Through my purely experimental art work,
technically created on the basis of collages
from recuperation of universal
and African raw materials...
I'm searching the secret of black beauty.
Black beauty is the value palette,
on which all colours forms and originates

'Still life in cosmos'

Koffi wants his work to reflect the three dimentional world, the volume and space of the visible and invisible worlds.
That is illustrated in the painting 'Still life in cosmos' about superimposition and superstition. It reflects the human being in space. He has painted the different layers of the cosmic world. The layers are alternately shifting with mirrors in between. The colours he uses are yellow, bluegreen and black. Yellow is the symbol of human intelligence and enlightenment to perceive knowledge of the hidden world. Blue is used as a symbol of the universe and the background is black as the palette of all colours.

'Ecole'

All his life Koffi has travelled extensively through several contries. For five years he was a teacher at Lycee Français Saint Exupery in Ouagaduogou. He taught the children about art in general and to appreciate art.
The collage and painting 'Ecole' in grafitti style, is inspired by the children's writings and grafitti on the tables with love affairs and messenges. He has used newspaper clips, essays and cartoons.
Also the colours are grafitti style, very bright pink, rich yellow and blue.

 'Tenderness'

shows how brilliant Fekpe Koffi can catch the soul of the moment or of the person he portraits. You can feel the warm and comforting feelings between the two people on the painting. The little girl's eyes are so full of life and expression.
Koffi has made portraits of the president of Niger in commission.
The front cover of this issue of Djembe shows Koffi in front of his own 'double selfportrait'.

In May, this exhibition can be seen at Nørre Allé Medborgerhus in Copenhagen and Ballerup Library.

Fekpe Koffi was born in Ghana in 1959

1979 Graduated from City and guilds of London Institute in painting and decoration
1980 Member of the artists group Agisymba in Lomé Togo.
1990-95 Art teacher at Lycée Français Saint Exupery, Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso.
1993-96 Member of Association d'Art International (A.D.A.I.) in Ardeched, France

Exhibitions

1981-83 Togo, Lomé: Palais du Congres, Togo Biao, Haut commissariat du tourisme.
1984 Niger, Niamey, Centre culturel Franco-Nigerian.
1990-92 Burkina Faso, Quagadougou, Hotel Pullman Silmande, Centre Culturel Francais Georges Melies. Musee National. 12th Fespaco, Arts Plastique at Centre Culturel Français Georges Melies.
1993 France, Marseille, Atelier Anne Lüscher and Bourg Saint Andeol.
1993 Sweden, Simrishamn, Kulturhuset Valfisken.
1994 France Viviers, A.D.A.I. Ardeche, Grand Prix dàrts plastiques.
1994 Denmark, Herlev, Gammelgård Kulturcenter. Hinnerup, Brogården.
1994 Poland, Krakowie, Zwiazek Arty, Rzezb. Wkrak, A.D.A.I.
1996 France, Vallon pont d'Arc U.A.P.V., Mairie, St. Jean de Maurienne, Salle J. L. Barault, Priveas, M.J.C., Le Pouzin, Lagorce, Privas, Argentiere, Salavas.
1996 Denmark, Copenhagen, Krudttønden, Møstings Hus, Valby Bibliotek.
1997 Denmark, Copenhagen, Indre by Medborgerhus, Galleri Projekt, Vesterbro's Second Censured Exhibition.
1998 Denmark, Copenhagen, Danasvej Bibliotek, Frederiksberg, Medborgerhuset Kapelvej 44, Nørrebro.