He belongs to a family of traditional wood-carvers. His grandfather, Mube Massagoung, was quite famous. At 16, Jean-Baptiste began his wood-carving apprenticeship. It lasted seven years. Besides learning the technique of wood-carving, Jean-Baptiste learned and absorbed the themes that made up the cultural identity of his ethnic group the Bamilekes, an essentially agricultural people who are organized in chieftaincies. Ngnetchopa's early works clearly reveal this influence, the themes evoke either village life with its pageants (initiation, funeral ceremonies, dances), or religious life. Jean-Baptiste was very devout and occasionally practiced traditional medicine based on plants and "mystical water". His sculptures are large panels of iroko or mahogany with in-the-round (relief) carvings. His first departure from traditional themes were his portraits of Cameroonian or foreign dignitaries. He carved in-the-round portraits of Mitterand, Queen Elisabeth II and Mao Tse Toung. But his radical break with Bamileke figures took place in 1985. From then on, he undertook a series of wood-carvings representing giant banknotes. The first was a one dollar bill. Then came a whole series dedicated to African banknotes. Since 1989, he has done banknotes from all over the world. When I asked him about his new undertaking, he answered: "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."

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1987
Jean Baptiste Ngnetchopa
French Cultural Centre & Goethe Institut.
Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2001
Venice Biennal.
Venice, Italy.

2000
Partage d'exotismes
Lyon 5th Biennal for Contemporary Art
Lyon, France.

1993-1992
Sydney 9th Biennal.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Sydney, Australia.

1992-1991
Africa Hoy/ Africa Now
Cultural Center of Contemporary Art.
Mexico City.
Groningen Museum. Netherland.
Atlantic Center of Modern Art.
Las Palmas, Gran Canary Islands, Spain.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

2001
Tribal Soul, Metropolitan Body.
Contemporary Art Center
Text in English.
Ngnetchopa Jean-Baptiste p.100-101.

2000
Partaged Exotismes
Lyon 5th Biennal Contemporary Art.
Jean-Baptiste Ngnetchopa p.98-99, 151.
Bilingual text : French & English.

1996
" Contemporary Art of Africa ".
Ngnetchopa by Jacques Soulillou, p.124-125.
Text in English.
Edited by Andre Magnin & Jacques Soulillou.
Publisher Harry N. Abraams.

1992
Africa Hoy/ Africa Now
Atlantic Center of Modern Art.
Las Palmas, Spain.
Exhibition catalogue. Bilingual text : Spanish, French.
Jean-Baptiste Ngnetchopa p.151-157.