By Bakah Derick
Cameroonian painter, visual and performing artist Barthelemy Toguo has in a rare move opened his doors to about 50 enthusiast of contemporary arts. The celebrated artist opened the doors to his huge achievement as part of a two days invocations programme organised by SAVVY Contemporary in Bandjoun near Bafoussam West Region of Cameroon.
Beginning on the evening of Thursday 31 March 2022 when the programme participants arrived the Bandjoun station property of the multiple award winning artist, he has been speaking hard on his convictions and plans.
Addressing his guest, Barthélémy indicated that he has worked for many years in Paris France and for the last 30 years, he has decided to invest back in his place of birth; Bandjoun and country Cameroon. Bandjoun station he said is a museum with a huge gallery of his works as well as those of other artist from across the world. Opened to the public as visitors of the museum, Bandjoun station has conference halls and lodging facilities opened only to artist.
“What guides me is a constantly evolving aesthetic but also a sense of ethics which makes a difference and structures my entire approach. With my private initiative, Bandjoun Station in Cameroon, and the artistic project that accompanies it, I wanted to take on my responsibilities as a man and an artist by offering another model and reference." He is quoted to have said
Added to Bandjoun station are several farms across Bandjoun for the growing of different crops like coffee, plantains, palm trees amongst others.
Employing many for the farms, Barthelemy also owns a huge workshop and studio in Bandjoun where he is beginning to do most of his works for the world.
He has constructed workshops for student in the Tesse Government technical school, resisdence for teaches pending completion just to name but these amongst the many things he has done for his community.
"As the pionneer student of COYAC, my dream was to make arts credible in relation to what I read in school that is history. It is a challenge for me after visiting his artistic center, secondly I have to work harder and I wish that my institution could visit this place in Bandjoun." Yosi Arts History PhD student University of Bamenda
Amongst the many of his expositions and international achievement is the globally used Toguo blue as a colour which emerged from his works.
Born in 1967, Toguo is a multiple disciplinary artist whose work addresses migration, colonialism, race, exile and displacement.