The Grand Prix of the Head of State Léopold Sédar Senghor was awarded, at the opening of the 15th Biennale of Contemporary African Art (Dak'Art 2024) in Dakar, to the Martinican artist Agnès Brezephin for her work ''Fil (s) de soi (e).''
The jury, led by Michèle Magena, praised Brezephin's work for its subtle invitation to dialogue and self-reflection. "An installation which, from the title itself, invites the viewer to a subtle dialogue, almost a warning about what they are about to discover or feel," Michèle Magena, described. The jury made its choice from 58 artists from 27 countries selected from the international exhibition "IN’’, which includes five Senegalese artists.
Brezephin received her prize from the Senegalese Head of State, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who presided over the official opening ceremony of Dak'art 2024, at the Grand Théâtre national Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose. The prize has a budget of 20 million CFA francs, said presenter and journalist Oumy Ndour. Agnès Brezephin, very moved by this distinction and in tears until the end of the ceremony, expressed her gratitude.
"I realized that this is my home, while making the play, while setting it up, it's incredible! It shakes up a lot of things in my head, decisions for the future, it's incredible, I didn't think I was going to have this strong emotion," she soberly expressed.
With a tight throat, Agnès Brezephin declared that she had colours, silk threads, but "no words". "For the first time in my life, I am very happy, really very happy. A lot of emotions. A prize that touched me a lot", she exulted upon receiving the warm congratulations of the other artists.
She emphasizes the "extraordinary" nature of the Dakar Biennale which, she says, "gives an incredible chance when you are selected. But just the fact of exhibiting is magical. We enter into something marvelous with this prize."
Other prizes, such as the Ousmane Sow Sculptor's Prize for the right of resale, awarded by the Contemporary Art Cooperative, went to Jamaican Sonia Barrett for her work "Map-Lective." The Dakar City Hall Prize, worth five million CFA francs, was awarded to Senegalese artist Manel Ndoye, whose work exhibited in the Senegal pavilion reinvents the language of traditional Senegalese tapestr
Artist Agnès Brezephin from the Martinique island is presented the Léopold Sédar Senghor by Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye Présidence Sénégal - Image Courtesy of Contemporary&
The prizes of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were awarded respectively to Togolese artist Clay Apenouvon and Senegalese visual artist Dior Thiam. The former, with her work "Grande fenêtre sur le large," offers a radically abstract and poignant representation of immigration and its tragedies, while the latter, whose works are entitled "Particles 1" and "Particles 2," presents painted portraits of women who participated in the resistance in Africa. They each received an envelope of five million CFA francs. The Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture Award, worth ten million CFA francs, was presented to Ugandan artist Ronald Odur for "The Fabric of Identity."
Previous awardees of the Grand Prix Léopold Sédar Senghor include Ethiopian artist Tegene Kunbi (2022), Leila Adjovi (Benin, 2018), and Youssef Limoud (Egypt, 2016). Driss Ouadahi (Algeria) and Olu Omoda (Nigeria) were awarded in 2014, and Youness Baba Ali (Morocco) in 2012.
The 15th Dakar Biennale started on November 7, 2024 and will run until December 7, 2024.
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