Jean-Baptiste Ngnetchopa

Jean-Baptiste Ngnetchopa (born 1953) is a Cameroonian woodcarver. He achieved international attention from a series of banknotes from Africa carved in wood. He has appeared in international exhibitions and shows like Africa hoy in 1991.

Background
Ngnetchopa was born to a family of traditional woodcarvers from a village of the Bamileke people in Cameroun. At age 16, he entered into a seven-year apprenticeship.

Ngnetchopa's work has evolved into an exploration of, "the relationship among art, power and money" that balances between the worlds of pop-culture and contemporary art. His banknotes utilize black ink on the wood panels t o highlight the carved and incised details.

Ngnetchopa has said that, "Some rich people put their money in a vault. This money is dormant and loses value. I ask these rich people to surrender part of this money to me and I will carve them money of wood which they can live with and show to others. And this wooden money will also acquire value."

2011

 * Art et Argent, liaisons dangereuses, Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France.
 * Virtual exhibition (The Contemporary African Art Collection)

2001

 * Platea dell’ Umanità – 49° Biennale di Venezia
 * Giardini di Castello / Arsenale – Venice VE, Italy (The Contemporary African Art Collection)

1991

 * Africa hoy
 * Atlantic Center of Modern Art.
 * Las Palmas Gran Canary - Spain. (The Contemporary African Art Collection)