Barthélemy Toguo (bilingual edition)

Barthélemy Toguo (bilingual edition) by Philippe Dagen presents the work of a multidisciplinary artist who explores themes of migration, colonialism, race, exile, and displacement.

Born in 1967 in Cameroon, Toguo lives and works between Bandjoun and Paris. He pursued his studies at the fine arts academy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, then continued at the fine arts academy in Grenoble and the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. His work freely encompasses drawing, sculpture, video, installation, and performance, inspired by his experiences, travels, and encounters. Watercolour plays a central role in his artistic expression.

Toguo skilfully navigates the spaces where different materials intersect. He bridges Western and African traditions, exploring the language and new identities that emerge from these interactions. His commitment to cultural and social engagement is evident in the Bandjoun Station art centre, which he established in Cameroon in 2013.

His work is included in the collections of prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Musée d'art contemporain, Lyon; Fondation Louis Vuitton; and Kunstsammlungen der Stadt, Düsseldorf. Solo exhibitions of Toguo's work have been held at prominent venues including Uppsala Art Museum, Sweden; Musée d'art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Etienne, France; La Verrière by Hermès, Brussels; Fundação Gulbenkian, Lisbon; and Palais de Tokyo, Paris.

Languages: French and English