About The Artist

Bethel Aniaku Born: July 04, 1970, in Lomé, Togo Email: Baniaku@yahoo.fr Education and Training: Self-taught artist Group Exhibitions: 20 March 2009: Homage to Martin Luther King (Art space international), Atlanta (USA) 6 March 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 (United States) 2011: La Maison Française, French Embassy, Washington, DC (United States) 2007: Château Dillon, Dillon (France) 2007: E.U. Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium) 2006: Espace Amalgama Bruxelles (Belgium) 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: 6 April 2012: "Picture of Home" Featured in a Washington Post article titled "Making Begonias Oppressively Brutish" in the Galleries section. 2002: Honor guest at the Documenta de Kassel by the German Embassy in Lomé (Togo) 2002: Issa Kouyate’s award at the sixth edition of “D’EWOLE” 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: Contemporary Art Museum of Hiroshima, Japan B.C.E.A.O Bank, Dakar, Senegal Tokyo museum (Japan) Smithsonian (Washington, DC) Philosophy: Painting requires continual research for me. I use the abstract to best capture present reality. My compositions play with color, light, space, and various materials. Day after day, I slowly add layers to my canvas, trusting my instincts over any particular idea. This process allows the true nature of the piece to emerge over time.