basic info

Em’kal Eyongakpa

(b 1981, Manyu) Lives and works at Bɔ Bɛtɔk* :

Eyongakpa’s ideas and artwork experiences , habitually mimics/ evokes or employs the elements and natural processes, phenomena. His ideas increasingly draw from indigenous knowledge systems, ethnobotany, applied mycology and technology. He is also known for itinerant research spaces and autonomous art hubs; KHaL! SHRINE (Yaounde, (2007-2013), Bɔ́ Bɛtɔk/ ɛfúkúyú, (Gulf of Guinea/ Western Europe, 2017-). The artist’s work has been shared/experienced at several gatherings and venues around the world.

Selected events / exhibitions:
-Drums listens to heart, CCA Wattis Institute, Carlifonia college of arts, San Francisco
(September-October 2022) [commission]
-Hacer Noche: Promised Land -Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (september- December 2022)
[commission]
-Arcadia- Paradys, Bɛfáp baka 21 rt/ barɔŋ tàndramot (mbaŋ), Oranjewoud (May-August 2022)
[commission]
-Irish Museum of Modern art, Mámbáy bebhɛp 43t / besáŋ berat / bakay nɛkɔ, Dublin (April-
October 2022) (solo) [commission]
-39 Eva International, Limericke (September 2020-December 2021) [commission]
-Donaueschingen Musiktage, Donaueschingen, October 2021, [commission]
– babhi-bɛrat XXI-r [babhi-manyɛp/ babhi-bawɛt, (mbaŋ)] , Oude Kerk, Amsterdam,
September 2021 (solo) [commission]
-manye-mbi #1-i / barɨŋ bachɔɔkɔrɔk #3+3, VanAbbe Museum, Eindhoven (March 07th, 2020)
– kerakaraka 3-i, inter-sessions at CCA Lagos, Lagos (Jan 30th – 31st, 2020)
– mɔ ntai tabindɔ #4/ barɨŋ bachɔɔkɔrɔk #3 at Positions #5: Telling Untold Stories, Van
Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (30 Nov. 2019 – 08 March 2020) (Solo presentation) [commission]
– Diaspora at Home, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (4 Nov 2019 – 31 Jan 2020)
– Tahjese #3i / barɨŋ bachɔɔkɔrɔk #4, The Showroom, London (1st Oct – 7th Dec. 2019) (solo)
[commission]
– History is His Story, Nest, The Hague (Feb 15th – April 15th 2019)
– Recent Histories, contemporary African Photography and video art from the Walther Collection,
Huis Marseille, Amsterdam (Dec. 8th 2018 – March. 3rd, 2019)
-Arhgbrou 4.3, Mbi-Eshobi inter-sessions, Jazzhole, Lagos (Nov. 4th)
-Arhgbrou 4.3, Mbi-Eshobi sessions , De Appel, Amsterdam (July 18th )
-2 Unlimited, De Appel, Amsterdam (May 30th-August 18 2018)
-other Futures, Melkweg, Amsterdam, February 2018.
-Arhgbrou 4:3, Mbi-Eshobi surround sessions (quarterly) (November 2017- Present)
-Jakarta Biennale 2017, JIWA (November 4th-December 10 2017) [commission]
-Tidalectics, TBA21 Contemporary, Vienna, (June 6th-November 12, 2017) [commission]
-Recent Histories, contemporary African Photography and video art, Walther Collection Ulm,
(May -November 2017)
-13th Sharjah biennial, Tamawuj (March 10-June 12 2017) [Reproduction]
-la biennale de Montreal, Le grand Balcon (October 19th 2016- January 15th 2017)
-32nd Bienal de Sao Paulo , Incerteza viva (Sep 10th – Dec 11th, 2016) [commission]
-THE INCANTATION OF THE DISQUIETING MUSE. On Divinity, Supra- Realities or
the Exorcisement of Witchery, SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin (June 4 – August 7, 2016)
-encounters in a lunar cycle, [non humans take mating(s)/ meeting(s) seriously],
Sound performance/ installation with Astrid S. Klein, le cyclop de Jean Tinguely, (21/05/2016)
[commission]
-Bɔɔ Bɛtɔk, interventions, Manyu (03-04/2016)
-beats/bits of(f) sPACE(s), Apalazzo gallery Brescia (March 18th -May 10th 2016) [commission]
-10th Bamako encounters, Bamako (2015)
-negotiations (chapter 1-i, dualaland-pariis), Kadist art foundation, Paris (May – July 2015)
-??fullmoons later/wata kulture intermedia performance, Africa acts, Paris (2015)
-we all have a sense of rhythm, curators series# 8- David Roberts art Foundation, London (2015)
-Rijksakademie Open Studios, RABK, Amsterdam (2013/2014)
-uber die grenze der zweifel, Wurttembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart (2014)
-Giving contours to shadows, Saavy contemporary and NBK, Berlin (2014)
-18th International Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Videobrasil, Sao Paulo (2013)
-Volcano extravaganza (evil under the sun), Stromboli, Italy (2013),
-We Face Forward, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester (2012),
-10th Dak’art biennale ,Dakar (2012 ),
-[dis]placement, IFC yaounde, Cameroon ( 2012) (solo)
– Bamako encounters, African photography biennale, Bamako( 2011).
– (in)security-Greatmore, CapeTown, South Africa (2011) (solo)
– Objectifs (with Patrick Wokmeni), Doual’art, Douala(2011 )
– “sun is the moon” revisited , Goethe-institut, Yaounde , (2010) (solo)
– “Sun is the moon”, IFC Yaounde (2009) (solo)
– Panafrican festival of Algiers, La modernite dans l’art Africain, Algiers (2009)
Talks/ interventions:
-Workshop with Masters students, Sandberg institut, Amsterdam at E.E Intermedia studios,
Bijlmer, December 2020
-Bɔ Bɛtɔk 39 FML , Bɔ Bɛtɔk/ E.E Intermedia studios, Bijlmer, Amsterdam September- December
2020
-Bɔ Bɛtɔk 36 FML , Bɔ Bɛtɔk/ E.E Intermedia studios, Bijlmer, Amsterdam June-September 2020
– kɛrakaraka #3-i / mɔɔ ntai bɛrrɛ, CCA Lagos, Lagos, January 30-31, 2020
– Broadcasting from Babylon, DAS Theatre, Em’kal Eyongakpa Intermedia studios, Boh Betok,
Amsterdam
– Pan African Space station at OBA Library, Amsterdam (emmergency set #8)
– PAN!C Conference,7-8 September 2015, Johannesburg
– Disparaitre dans la nature, July 2015, Heidelberger Kunstverein, in conversation with Astrid S.
Klein,
Sylvie Arnaud, Francois Taillade, Soro Solo
– Crossing boundaries of doubt, Querungen/WKV Stuttgart 2015
– fullmoon walk, sideroom, Amsterdam, Nov 2014
– KHaL!topiA- Geschichten aus dem Shrine, Oberwelt, Stuttgart, July 2013
Selected Awards and nominations:
Inaugural Henrike Grohs Art Award 2018
The Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, 2016-2017 finalist.
Aimia AGO photography price, long list 2013
Le prix de la Ville de Dakar, Dak’art 2012
Selected residencies:
– 2016 Association le Cyclop de Jean Tinguely, Milly la Foret.
– 2015 Kadist Art Foundation
– 2013-2014 Rijksakademie Van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam (NL)