Born in 1971, Gerard Quenum was raised in Benin's capital, Porto Novo. Due to the region's lack of artistic institutions and facilities, Quenum received no formal training. Instead he spent his teenage years working as an apprentice for a decorator. This gave him an opportunity to learn a wide range of techniques in a number of different media, including wood, metal, paint, plaster and clay.

Quenum and his fellow apprentices formed their own artistic movement, encouraging one another to experiment and innovate. Quenum's aesthetic is characterized by his use of 'urban detritus', discarded objects that he finds on the streets around his studio. His sculptures are frequently constructed f...