Bethel
Aniaku
ARTIST
Bethel Aniaku is a studio artist who was born in Lomé, Togo. He studied at the Bernard Art Studio in Bordeaux, France. Aniaku has been prolific in producing abstract art for over 20 years. A collagist as much as a painter, he builds patchwork compositions that include shards of text as well as impastoed paint – oil and acrylic paint is laid on an area of the surface in very thick layers usually thick enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible. His paintings appear to be coming out of the canvas.
His works are influenced by his memories, nostalgia, sights, and the sounds around him.
CONTACT INFORMATION
T: +1(202) 459 – 3121
E: Baniaku@yahoo.fr
Group Exhibitions:
2009: Homage to Martin Luther King (Art Space International), Atlanta GA (USA)
2009: French Embassy, for “FRANCOPHONIE”, Washington DC (USA)
2002: National Assembly, Paris (France)
2002: Selected among 100 worldwide artists for the World Cup Exhibition, Tokyo (Japan) and Seoul (South Korea)
2001: “Le chemin du partage”, Rochelle (France)
2001: “L’école de Lomé”, Luxembourg (Belgium)
2000: “Atelier jardin de Sculpture”, Goethe institute, Lomé (Togo)
1998: Exhibition at ALLAD’art, Allada (Benin)
1997: Exhibition at FAR, art festival “La Rue de Grand Bassam”, Ivory Coast
1996: International Saloon of Visual Art, Mercure Sarakawa Hotel, Lomé (Togo)
1996: Chinese cultural Center, Cotonou (Benin)
1995: Afro-European inspiration, Pedacondji (Togo)
Solo Exhibitions:
2012: Parish Gallery, Georgetown, Washington DC (USA)
2011: La Maison Française, French Embassy, Washington DC (USA)
2007: Château Dillon, Dillon (France)
2007: E.U. Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
2006: Espace Amalgama Bruxelles (Belgium)
Solo Exhibitions (cont’d):
2006: Château Bourran, Bordeaux (France)
2005: Mbari Institute, Washington DC (USA)
2003: Theater of “L’olivier”, Istres (France)
2002: Kyffausortr Gallery, Berlin (Germany)
2002: Gesamtverband des Einzelhandels, Berlin (Germany)
2001: German Embassy, Lomé (Togo)
2001: Gallerie du Medoc, Bordeaux (France)
2000: “Inspired by intuition”, French Cultural Center, Lomé (Togo)
Awards and Recognitions:
2012: “Picture of Home” Featured in a Washington Post article titled “Making Begonias Oppressively Brutish” in the Galleries section.
2002: Honored guest at the Documenta de Kassel at the German Embassy in Lomé (Togo)
2002: Issa Kouyate’s award at the Sixth Edition of “D’EWOLE”, Maison de la Gare (Senegal)
1999: Sixth Place award at the Visual Art Competition organized by the PACIPE (Environment Protection Agency), Lomé (Togo)
1994: Fourth Place award at the Visual Art Competition organized by C.O.E., an Italian Barzio organization, Lomé (Togo)
Collections:
Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, (Japan)
Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Bank, Dakar (Senegal)