Country in Focus: Togo - The Art Scene You Need to Know

Discovering Togo’s Art Scene

Togo has long been a crossroads of Spirituality, Art, and Trade. From the trailblazing Nana Benz women—who revolutionized West African fashion with their wax print empire—to the visionary designer Kossi Aguessy, whose futuristic aesthetics reshaped global design, Togolese creativity has left a lasting mark.

Despite its rich cultural heritage, this West African nation—nestled between Ghana and Benin—remains an underexplored hub of artistic innovation. Togo’s contemporary art scene is a hidden treasure. Today, a new generation of artists is redefining tradition, blending sacred symbolism with experimental design and bold new narratives. It’s time to take a closer look.

"Nana Benz" Togolese female entrepreneurs who built wealth through the wax fabric trade, symbolizing success with their Mercedes-Benz cars. © Le Palais de Lomé

Spiritual Roots and Modern Vision

Togo’s artistic landscape is deeply rooted in Vodun, a spiritual and philosophical system practiced by nearly half the population. More than a religion, Vodun shapes worldviews, balancing divine spirits (vodun), ancestral reverence, and the forces of nature. Across Togo’s diverse ethnic groups—including the Ewe, Mina, and Kabye—rituals and artistic expressions continue to inform and inspire contemporary art.

This spiritual foundation has long fueled artistic creation, with traditional forms—sculptures, murals, and mixed-media works—reflecting Vodun cosmology while engaging with modern themes. Among the most influential figures in modern Togolese art, Paul Ahyi (1930–2010) embodied this synthesis. Trained in Paris, he merged ancestral motifs with global influences, leaving a legacy that extended beyond painting and sculpture to architecture and national symbolism, including designing Togo’s flag.

"The Couple" Paul Ahyi etching, created using acid-engraved metal plate printmaking. © Paul Ahyi

This fusion of heritage and innovation finds its most striking expression in the Palais de Lomé, a former colonial palace built in the 1890s and meticulously restored in 2019. Now a thriving hub for contemporary art, it reclaims history to celebrate Togolese and pan-African creativity.

Togo's Palais de Lomé. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Pita

Kossi Aguessy, the Designer Who Transcended Borders

Kossi Aguessy (1977–2017) remains one of Togo’s most influential creative minds. His fusion of industrial design, minimalism, and African heritage positioned him alongside global innovators like Philippe Starck and Dieter Rams.

One of his most celebrated works, the Infinity Armchair (2016), embodies his futuristic approach—seamlessly blending sculptural fluidity with high-tech precision. The chair’s continuous, flowing form represents endless motion and innovation, reflecting his belief that African design should be forward-looking rather than solely rooted in tradition.

"Infinity Chair" (2016) Courtesy of Joel Vogt © Kossi Aguessy

His creations—spanning furniture, product design, and conceptual installations—were exhibited at the Centre Pompidou (Paris) and MoMA (New York), proving that African design is globally relevant. Aguessy’s legacy paved the way for contemporary Togolese sculptors, who continue to push artistic boundaries.

Sculptural Narratives: Emmanuel Sogbadji & Kossi Assou

Two sculptors reinterpret ancestral themes through modern forms, contributing to Togo’s rich and diverse sculptural scene:

Kossi Assou – An essential figure in Togolese art, Assou is both an artist and a Vodun priest. He transforms Fa divination into sculptural expression, bridging the mystical and the material. His work spans painting, mosaics, mural art, and furniture design, all deeply rooted in ancestral knowledge. Assou describes his process as an exploration of time and materiality, stating, “I place myself in the position of time in relation to matter,” a perspective that imbues his sculptures with a sense of impermanence and unseen forces. His artistry captures the delicate interplay between fate, spirituality, and artistic vision.

Kossi Assou’s sculptures at Montresso Art Foundation. Courtesy of Montresso © Kossi Assou

Emmanuel Sogbadji – Known for his hauntingly expressive figurative sculptures, Sogbadji explores themes of power, fragility, and existential struggle. Trained in fine art in Ivory Coast, France, and later Italy, he seamlessly blends traditional African statuary with contemporary urgency, working with wood, metal, and mixed materials. His monumental sculptures, rich in emotional depth, provoke reflection in museum spaces. His work speaks to both historical memory and the weight of human experience, making him one of the most thought-provoking contemporary sculptors from Togo.

Sogbadji etching, created using acid-engraved and metal plate printmaking. © Emmanuel Sogbadji

Colors & Abstraction: Clément Gbegno & Thierry Tomety

Painting in Togo has undergone a transformation, with artists embracing abstraction to tell stories beyond representation:

Clément Ayikoué Gbegno – Gbegno’s work is a meditation on transformation, resilience, and the cyclical nature of existence. He took a bold leap of faith by selling his ancestral land to pursue fine art studies in Abidjan, later refining his craft in France. Working across painting, sculpture, and mixed media, he creates textured, layered surfaces that evoke disappearance and renewal, mirroring shifting identities and the fluidity of time. His art is deeply introspective, using cultural symbolism and personal experience to explore memory, loss, and rebirth.

©Clement Gbegno

Thierry Tomety – Originally trained in software development, Tomety’s transition to painting brings a unique, systematic approach to abstraction. His compositions reflect an intricate dialogue between destruction and renewal, exploring the balance between randomness and order. His latest project, OMEN: GBETÕ-GBENÕ, is a striking experiment in human interconnectedness, using anonymous message exchanges to illustrate the unpredictability of fate. By fusing technology, philosophy, and abstraction, Tomety’s work challenges perceptions of communication and existence in the digital age.

With Togolese artists gaining momentum in international circles, exhibitions like IN-Discipline further cement their global recognition.

Togolese Exhibition: Animismes. Pluriel at Montresso Art Foundation

Based in Marrakech, Morocco, the Montresso Art Foundation has been a Passeur d’Art (Art Steward) for over a decade, fostering artistic exchange and championing contemporary creation. Through its IN-Discipline program, the foundation provides a platform for emerging African artists, offering visibility and resources to expand their creative boundaries internationally.

For its 6th edition, after Senegal and the DRC, IN-Discipline turned to Togo, marking a defining moment for the country’s contemporary art scene. Curated by French-Togolese curator Ayoko Mensah, the exhibition explored how Togolese artists reinterpret Vodun and Fa, bridging ancestral knowledge with contemporary expression. The space itself became a breathtaking fusion of earthen textures, fluid architectural lines, and ambient lighting, immersing visitors in a world where tradition and modernity converge.

Thierry Tomety’s OMEN: GBETÕ-GBENÕ sculptures at Montresso Art Foundation. Courtesy of Credit Mourad Boulhana © Fondation Montresso

The featured artists—including Hélène Amouzou, Kossi Assou, Sokey Edorh, Thierry Tomety, and others—engaged with this spiritual and cultural heritage in their own way. By spotlighting Togo, Montresso Art Foundation reaffirmed its role as a key incubator of African contemporary art, ensuring Togolese artists gain well-deserved global recognition.

A Lasting Legacy in Togolese Art

Building on our previous exploration of Le Palais de Lomé and Pierre Segoh’s Togolese artist collection, Togo’s artistic landscape continues to evolve, revealing singular creativity and expression.

unx-art remains committed to showcasing these visionary artists, offering a deeper connection to their work.

Discover our curated collection and follow unx-art on Instagram and Facebook for the latest insights into Togo’s vibrant art scene.