In collaboration with ellipseart projects, Also Known As Africa 2023 will present a new exhibition by Ras Sankara entitled “Les souvenirs de mon corps” at its annual art festival. Winner of the ellipse 2023 prize, this Togolese artist will be among those exhibiting at the eighth edition of AKAA.
Kossi Aféli Agboka, better known as Ras Sankara, is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist who excels in performance art. He uses his own body as a primary means of artistic expression to captivatingly communicate his questions and perspectives. His exhibition entitled “Les souvenirs de mon corps” (Memories of my body) features videos, performances and photographs that evoke both historical and personal narratives, as well as collective ones. This performance, recently realized by Ras Sankara in Togo, is divided into three acts. Through his artistic representation, he tackles subjects such as the duty of memory and dreams in the face of the many contemporary issues he has been denouncing for many years through his art.
Ras Sankara creates a veritable performance scene in emblematic public places such as the Grand Marché, Lomé’s Wharf and the Maison des Esclaves in Agbodrafo. His gestures and movements take on a strikingly spiritual character, thanks to the use of accessories, materials and colors. The artist seeks to challenge the public to “rehumanize Humanity!“, leaving behind the wounds of the past in favor of a future built on collective identity and memory.
As part of the exhibition, Ras Sankara will also be staging a number of site-specific performances addressing the subjects on display, inviting the Parisian public to participate in the construction of a narrative in which we are all protagonists. With an emphasis on solidarity and hope, this contemporary artist aims to establish a ritual dialogue with his audience, addressing current issues such as armed conflict and the environmental cause.
Through his committed art, the winner of the Prix ellipse 2023, denounces socio-political problems and sparks debate to awaken people’s consciences, using an open space known to all: the street. He also takes part in social actions in collaboration with other artists within an association he initiated. He is also the founder of the Emome Art festival, which brings together performers from all over the world to promote the art form in Togo and internationally.
Ras Sankara’s solo show at AKAA 2023 represents an exceptional opportunity for this contemporary artist to share his multidisciplinary practice with the French public. His art, based primarily on street performance, aims to provoke lively questioning of socio-political issues in viewers. The work of the six finalists for the ellipse 2023 Prize will also be featured in the next edition of the AKAA Art Book.
Below is a video of the solo show presented by the winner of the ellipse 2023 Prize, Ras Sankara, for this eighth edition of the AKAA.