The video „Akaba-Mbele“ is about tribal marks in Togo. The white lines appearing and disappearing on the face of the man in the video, represent tribal marks from different ethnic groups in Togo. The marks are used for identification, beautification and for traditional medical treatment. Togo, a small country of 7 million people in West Africa, has more than 25 ethnic groups. Tribal marks are part of our cultural heritage.
Abdoul-Ganiou Dermani was born in Togo and currently lives in Stuttgart (Germany). Graduated from the College of Arts and Crafts in Kpalimé (Togo), his artistic practice encompasses painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, and video. His exhibitions have traveled internationally, including Venice Biennale, Havana Biennale, Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Bortolami Gallery in New York City, CICA Museum in Gimpo (South Korea), ZKM Museum in Karlsruhe (Germany), Pera Museum in Istanbul (Turkey), Hazard Gallery in Johannesburg (South Africa) among others. He has earned numerous prestigious awards for his work, including the Leonardo Da Vinci International Prize 2020 in Florence, Italy; the Artfacts Performance Award 2019 in Berlin, Germany; the Giotto Prize 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal; Finalist at the Global Art Awards 2018 in Dubai, UAE; Best Video Art Prize at the 17th International Film Festival „Zoom-Zblizenia“ 2014 in Jelenia Gora, Poland.