In a small gallery in Cotonou, Benin, metal sculptures of international renown adorn the walls, telling stories of construction and balance through recycled materials. These are the creations of Charly d’Almeida, a metal sculptor who has been transforming scrap into art for the past 15 years.
D’Almeida, 56, is a key figure in a generation of artists who have shaped contemporary art in Benin. His work, deeply influenced by African culture and Voodoo traditions, is regularly exhibited across Europe Africa, and the United States.
“This piece is called ‘construction,'” d’Almeida said, gesturing to one of his works. “It’s the idea of bringing together several elements, giving them a certain balance that will last over time.”
D’Almeida began his career as a painter in 1988 before turning to sculpture in the 2000s. He sources his materials from local scrap metal markets, where vendors hammer and shape discarded metal pieces.
Recycling metal is common in Benin, where young entrepreneurs known as “Gankpo Gblégblé” collect scrap metal from households, selling it for 25 to 1,000 CFA francs per kilogram. In 2022, non-alloyed steel bars made up 1.5% of Benin’s exports, worth 8.3 billion CFA francs, according to government figures.
“The people below me can’t imagine that what they see me picking up, what they see me going after, wandering around, I manage to get it,” d’Almeida explained. “When they see the final product, eventually displayed on a white wall, they think, ‘It’s with this junk that you make these beautiful artworks.'”
Should scrap metal exports continue, D’Almeida and other artists worry they could soon face challenges in sourcing their materials,. In June 2023, Benin’s government banned the export of scrap metal to support local artisans and protect jobs.
Bernard Ehoun, Director of Competition at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, defended the ban:
“Outside of foundries, there are also actors who need raw materials,” he said. If this continues, and if there was no ban, even the artists you mention would run out of raw materials to work with.”
However Benin regulates its scrap industry, d’Almeida says he will continue to create, and hopefully inspire a new generation to see the potential for art within something they may have otherwise thrown away.
“Working with scrap metal is my breath, my life, my daily routine, and my everyday language,” he said. “Life is a cycle, but the next generation will struggle. So my biggest concern today, as a preserver, is to help these young people.”
(Reuters)