• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Entertainment

How a street painter from Benin got an art exhibition in Finland

How a street painter from Benin got an art exhibition in Finland
Newsexplored
17th February 2019
6
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
2
Image copyright Perttu Saksa

Louis Houenoude lives in the small village of Heve, just outside Grand-Popo, in the small West African country of Benin.

He used to paint barber shop signs for a living. But now he is a bona fide artist.

An art gallery in Finland is exhibiting a series of portraits painted by Mr Houenoude.

The portrait series, called Bad Hair Day Leaders, consists of 14 portraits of today’s world leaders, from Angela Merkel to Xi Jinping.

Four portraits of world leaders on the wall of art galleryImage copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

Last year, Mr Houenoude painted a portrait of the Finnish President Sauli Niinisto which was bought by the Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Painted portrait of Finnish President Sauli NiinistoImage copyright Esa Salminen

So how did a Beninese barber shop painter wind up having an exhibition in Finland?

Well, Bad Hair Day Leaders is not entirely his work alone.

The portraits are a collaboration with Finnish visual artist Riiko Sakkinen, who visited Benin last year.

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo
Image caption Houenoude with his friend Pauline, Finnish artist Riiko Sakkinen and local musician Gustavo

“I initially wanted to know if Benin had the same painted film poster culture as Ghana - it doesn’t. But I saw painted signs for barber shops and hair salons and was intrigued by the colours and composition of the signs.

“The perspective and the shape of figures looked different to the ones familiar to me from European classicism and renaissance tradition. The advertisements worked remarkably well - I kept wanting to go to the barber even though I am bald,” Sakkinen told the BBC.

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

Sakkinen came up with the idea for a series of portraits of world leaders, all done in the style of West African barber signs and Houenoude did the painting.

data-ad-format="auto">

“Louis is very meticulous. I myself make a mess and could never wear nice clothes when I paint, like Louis. The language barrier initially proved a challenge because I couldn’t give much direction. But in the end it turned out to be a good thing, the work looked like him rather than me.”

Image copyright Perttu Saksa

“I received formal training for three months in [Benin’s biggest city] Cotonou in 2001 and I also trained with a professional artist in Ghana,” Houenoude says.

“But my father was a painter,” he says, “so I learnt from him.”

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

Houenoude has been painting since he was a child.


And now his children help him. A younger son works as his assistant and cleans his brushes. An older son has joined “the family business” and is already painting.

Image copyright Perttu Saksa

The humidity makes the paint dry slowly and the lack of electricity in Heve means painters must work during daylight.

However, the circumstances have taught Houenoude to be efficient. He finished all the 14 portraits of world leaders in less than a month.

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

And he has started painting portraits of pop culture icons and private people on commission. The portrait orders largely come from Finland thanks to Sakkinen’s extensive contacts.

A small venture called Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo was also set up around the portrait painting with the help of Gustavo Afaihoun, a local musician and aspiring entrepreneur.

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

“Painting has been a true gift for me,” Houenoude says.

Image copyright Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo

“I will definitely continue to paint and hope that the future holds more exhibitions.”

Image copyright Perttu Saksa

All images subject to copyright

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsbeninexhibitionfinlandpainterstreet
Click to add a comment

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Entertainment
17th February 2019
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsbeninexhibitionfinlandpainterstreet

More in Entertainment

  • Read More
    Brits 2019: The real winners and losers

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images It was a night of upsets, pirouettes and statuettes, as the 2019...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Brits 2019: The 1975 come out on top with two big awards

    Views:2 Image copyright Reuters Image caption The 1975’s Matty Healy used his speech to draw attention to...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Full list of winners

    Views:2 Image copyright Reuters Image caption Dua Lipa and Calvin Harris took home the award for best...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Karl Lagerfeld: Designer’s cat Choupette ‘named in his will’

    Views:2 Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Lagerfeld poses next to a painting of Choupette It has...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    The controversial genius of Karl Lagerfeld

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Karl Lagerfeld was known for his outspoken comments as well...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Funeral held for comedian Jeremy Hardy

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Jeremy Hardy first appeared on screen in 1986 The funeral...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Brit Awards 2019: What you need to know

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Pink, George Ezra and Dua Lipa among others are set...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Big Brother star Sallie Axl claimed benefits in house

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sallie Axl, whose real name is Sally Pryzbeck, was on...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Burberry sorry for ‘suicide’ hoodie with noose around neck

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Burberry has apologised for featuring a hoodie with a noose around the...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Why a Brit Award win would be ‘meaningless’ to this band

    Views:2 Image caption IDLES in the Radio 1 Live Lounge When the 2019 Brit Award nominations were...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Oscars 2019: 17 quirky facts about this year’s Academy Awards

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty/PA/Reuters/Picturehouse/Disney We’ve had the Golden Globes, we’ve had the Baftas, but now the film...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
  • Read More
    Carrie, cereal and four more unusual inspirations for musicals

    Views:2 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Rachel Tucker plays a pilot in Come From Away The...

    Newsexplored 17th February 2019
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Proxy voting: MPs to trial scheme for pregnant women and new parents
    UK22nd January 2019
  • Prince William says celebrities shunned mental health charity
    UK23rd January 2019
  • Migrants force-fed at Texas detention centre
    USA31st January 2019
  • Antibiotic resistance plan to fight ‘urgent’ global threat
    UK24th January 2019
  • US Coast Guard officer Hasson ‘planned terror attack’
    USA21st February 2019
  • Hoda Muthana: Trump says IS woman barred from US return
    USA20th February 2019
  • A letter sparks a search for descendants of Vimy Ridge ‘hero’
    USA20th February 2019
  • Trump seeks to recoup ‘wasted’ California high-speed rail funds
    USA20th February 2019
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

The sound-editor mum up for an Oscar
Chaka Khan: Why she gets annoyed by her tuneful greeting
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok