Southern Guild: Dominique Zinkpè

Running from 19 February until 15 May, Ejire (or Double Rhyme) is Southern Guild’s latest showcase.

The solo exhibition by Beninese artist Dominique Zinkpè features a number of large-scale, architectural sculptures and wall reliefs. Their expansive forms are assembled from hundreds of carved Ibeji figurines, materialising the dualism and inter-connection between the self and society. Describing his artistic practice as a form of priesthood, Zinkpè seeks to preserve and animate the Vodun spiritual beliefs at the heart of traditional Yoruba culture.

According to Yoruba belief, the orisha (deity) of Ibeji carries the powers of fertility and prosperity, and is embodied in the human form of twins. In the traditional cultures of Benin, Nigeria, Togo and Ghana, twins are considered special beings whose birth portends great blessings. They are believed to share the same soul, which is why the Yoruba people also refer to twins as “ejire”, meaning ‘double rhyme’ or to be more exact, ‘two persons that rhyme with each other’, ‘two persons that are the same’. They are frequently eulogised in song and poetry, and given special family and community privileges. When one dies, a figurine is carved to house the deceased twin’s spirit, to memorialise and venerate them through various rituals and ceremonies.

As Southern Guild notes: “Zinkpè’s fascination with Ibeji sculptures stems from the fact that each one is sculpted individually, “celebrating the unique essence of human beings and their distinct DNA”.

Ejire (Double Rhyme) is Zinkpè’s first exhibition with Southern Guild and his fifth solo to date. His works have been showcased at the Havana Biennial and Dak’art, and included in group exhibitions at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and more