Togo is located in West Africa, and it is home to a diverse and talented group of creatives from fashion designers to visual artists, the country has a wealth of both renowned and unsung artistic talents.
We spotlight some notable creatives from Togo and their contributions to the creative industry.
Sandra Agbessi: Redefining Contemporary Art in Togo
Sandra Agbessi is an art director, consultant, independent curator, publisher and co-founder of Brussels Art Center. She was born in Brussels to a Togolese father and Belgian mother.
She has a degree in Management and rich experience in management, marketing and communication. Agbessi is also the founder of Fine Art Studio and Fine Art Publishing, a contemporary art venue with an international focus that seeks to promote established and up-and-coming artists.
Chantal Sackey: A Voice for Representation and Identity
Chantel Sackey is a German-Togolese Journalist and stylist based in Germany. Sackey tackles issues of representation and identity in her work and aspires to foster opportunities for the Togo’s up-and-coming artists and creative talents.
She is also a contributing writer for Nataal Media. In 2021 she collaborated with fellow Togolese creative Delali Ayivi on a project called ‘Reflections on Homeland’ published by Vogue Germany.
The collaborative piece explored her childhood recollections and life as an Afro-German in Germany. She has worked on styling models for publications such as KUNST Magazine, Vanity Teen, Hype Bae and brands such as Maison Suneve.
Malaika Nabillah: Celebrating Togo's Creative Industry through Social Enterprise
Malaika Nabillah is the Co-founder of Togo Yeye, a social enterprise that aims to promote and celebrate the creative industry in Togo. Born and raised in Lomé, Nabillah always wanted to impact lives.
She first went to university to study medicine but dropped out after four years after discovering fashion and the Arts is where her real passion lies. Through Togo Yeye, Malaika and her business partner, Delali Ayivi have put the spotlight on and promoted emerging Togolese creatives and designers.
She is also the founder of Capzules, a sustainable fabric making company that specializes in making hand-made batik. Malaika has been featured in Vogue, Dazed and Ndaani Africa.
Pierre Segoh: Exploring Identity through Art
Pierre Segoh is an artist and Painter. He is a self-taught artist whose works explore the identity of people.
When Pierre SEGOH's father passed away, his idyllic upbringing in Lome abruptly came to an end.
He took over management of the family's finances when he was 17 years old. He gathered odd occupations like building paintings and T-shirt serigraphy.
Later, he met established painters who encouraged him to exhibit his works. He combines India ink, pastels, and pencil methods to paint on canvas, wood and paper.
Segoh has been featured in publications such as ArtDaily and Contemporary AND. He came in second place in the 2015 CIBArt international competition. His exhibitions have been featured in Artsy, Gallery Viewer and Mutual Art.
Sonia Lawson: Transforming a Former Palace into a Cultural Center
Sonia Lawson is a cultural manager and the founding director of the Palais de Lomé, a cultural center in Lomé, Togo. She is also a curator and has organized exhibitions in Togo, France, and the United States.
In 2015, Lawson was appointed founding director of the Palais de Lomé. The Palais de Lomé is a former governor's palace that has been renovated into a cultural center.
It houses a museum, a library, a theater, and an auditorium. The center also hosts exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events. she organized exhibitions of design and crafts from Togo in 2017 and 2019 at the international biennial of fine craft and creation, Révélations Biennale des Métiers d'art, held at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Lawson is a graduate from the Sciences Po Paris and HEC Paris of management. She has been featured in publications such as Forbes Afrique.
Nyny Ryke Goungou: Sustainable Fashion with Togolese Flair
Fallilah Nyny Ryke Goungou is the founder and creative director of the sustainable fashion brand of the same name, Nyny Ryke and Nyny Activewear founded in 2014.
The brand’s name is a combination of words which means “Only sweetness " or “ So good" in Togolese dialect "Kabyé".
Nyny Ryke combines patented textiles, warm colors and typical native fabrics to create clothing and accessories.
By combining these elements with Italian classicism, sensibility, and craftsmanship, they are able to perfectly capture the elegance and vivacity inspired by Italian fashion sense. The brand ethos is sustainability and quality.
Delali Ayivi: Spotlighting Contemporary African Art
Delali Ayivi is a Togolese-German multi-disciplinary artist and photographer who is passionate about promoting contemporary African art. She is part of the creative duo who founded Togo Yeye, a platform to spotlight the works of Togolese creatives to the world.
She has been featured in publications such as Vogue, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
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