Joseph Amedokpo is a Togolese painter. He was born in

Vogan Vogan is a town and canton located in the Maritime Region of Togo. It lies approximately northeast of Lomé, the capital of Togo, and is the capital of Vo prefecture. It is known for its Friday market, which is one of the largest voodoo market ...

Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its ...

(West Africa), in 1946, and moved to

Lagos Lagos ( Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 f ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

, at the age of eight, where he received his education and art training, receiving a scholarship to the

Yaba Trade Center Yaba or YABA may refer to: People Yaba is a female given name associated with the Akan people of West Africa, usually denoting a girl born on a Thursday. *Yaba Angelosi, South Sudanese American singer, songwriter, sound producer, film director, ...

where he studied fine art from 1966 to 1968. Amedokpo paints using locally available oils and his canvases are recycled flour sacks, washed and stretched. His studio forms part of his family compound; a tin roof shelters him from the African sun and seasonal rains. He has achieved recognition in Europe and the United States. In November 2008, Amedokpo was selected as one of four artists for Dell's Product RED initiative as part of the global fight against AIDS.Dell
Other artists selected include Siobhan Gunning,

Bruce Mau Bruce Mau D.Litt. (born October 25, 1959) is a Canadian designer and educator. He began his career a graphic designer and has since applied his design methodology to architecture, art, museums, film, eco-environmental design, education, and conc ...

and Mike Ming. Noawadays Joseph Amedokpo does not have any money to buy medicine, to eat correctly or support his family. The agent who sold his creation, only gave him 50 euros every 6 months. In the beginning, he was not given the possibility to read his contract. Joseph Amedokpo doesn't have a bicycle or a car, or electricity in his house. Some days, he doesn't have money to buy the necessary products to work correctly; he is then obliged to borrow from his children.

References

External links

African Contemporary Art Gallery Joseph Amedokpo biography

Artprints & Original Art by Joseph Amedokpo
1946 births Togolese artists Living people People from Vogan 21st-century Togolese people {{Togo-bio-stub