“Tàn xó [Memory in prose]”: shedding light on our histories and identity through the art of Sènami Donoumassou

Foundation H is pleased to announce a new exhibition in its art space: ‘Tàn xó [Memory in Prose]’, a solo show by artist Sènami Donoumassou, on view until 6 December. This artistic presentation is the fruit of her residency at the International City of the Arts in Paris.

Born in 1991 in Porto-Novo, Benin, Sènami Donoumassou is a visual artist who explores the multiple creative dimensions offered by the prism of light. Through her protean installations, drawings and photograms, she experiments with the technical and poetic potential of this brilliant source.

With ‘Tàn xó [Memory in Prose]’, Sènami Donoumassou presents captivating light art that invites the public to reflect on and question notions of memory and identity. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to appreciate her innovative and expressive approach, while offering an enriching perspective on the dialogue between light, memory and culture.

Sènami Donoumassou initially embarked on a career outside the arts, obtaining a degree in General and Territorial Administration. However, her passion for the visual arts eventually led her to devote herself to her true vocation. After an artistic residency at the Studio national des arts contemporains Le Fresnoy in 2019, she presented her first exhibition, ‘Chimie des traces’, at the French Institut in Cotonou.

This first step on the contemporary art scene was followed by her second exhibition, ‘Xógbé’, presented in 2022 at the art space Le Centre. That same year, she saw her artistic practice celebrated and recognised when she was named winner of the first James Barnor Award.

For the Beninese artist, each individual is an archival body, a concept that leads her to explore the idea of a multiple identity. She says: ‘We are made of animal DNA, plant DNA and minerals. We are cells, but above all, we are traces and memories‘. Sènami Donoumassou’s vision suggests that the human being is a composite of elements, constituting a living archive that is open to exchange and reflection.

Through her work, she seeks to establish a dialogue on the complexity of identity, inviting the public to consider the multiple layers that make up our existence. ‘Tàn xó [Memory in Prose]’ embodies this approach, highlighting the narrative and memory potential of each individual.

Inspired by the poem ‘On The Pulse of Morning’, written by Maya Angelou in 1993, Sènami Donoumassou’s residency examines our identities through notions of otherness and memory. In ‘Tàn xó [Memory in Prose]’, she invites us to redefine our perception of ourselves by examining our relationship with others and with nature, while exploring our personal narratives.

Through this exhibition at Fondation H, Sènami Donoumassou invites visitors to embrace her unique vision of being. She offers an introspective and immersive visual journey, orchestrated by the expressive depth of her canvases.

By adopting the Beninese artist’s perspective, we are invited, as social beings, to find answers to our questions about identity and the tensions it generates within our respective societies, in our memories, and in the diversity that characterises us.

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