Dominique Zinkpè was born in Cotonou in 1969. He lives and works in Bénin. He was quick to gain recognition, having won numerous prizes, notably at the 2002 Dakar Biennale. Equally skilled in the diverse forms of artistic expression that are sculpture, drawing, painting and installation, Zinkpè is without doubt one of the most well-rounded and prolific artists of his time.

He epitomizes the idea Jacqueline de Romilly expressed during her welcoming speech at the Académie française : "Thinking gains in precision as vocabulary gains in diversity."