Romuald Hazoumè

Romuald Hazoumè’s art reflects on the legacies of colonialism and the realities of contemporary Africa. Born in 1962 in Porto-Novo, Benin, where he still lives and works, Hazoumè is from a Catholic family of Yoruba origin. He carries on the historical Benin tradition of the arè, an itinerant artist who transmitted the country’s culture to other realms. Drawing from Yoruba traditions and global histories, Hazoumè reflects on themes of survival, migration, and cultural identity, using symbolic reinterpretations and social commentary to explore the lasting effects of historical and economic change. Photo: Charles Placide Tossou