Richard Laté Lawson-Body (1986) began his artistic journey as a calligrapher. From a young age, he received formal training in calligraphy, which later led to his appointment as a member of the calligraphy service for the Togolese presidency. After completing studies in marketing and strategy at the University of Lomé, Laté chose to dedicate himself fully to his first passion: visual art. As an autodidact, he experiments with various unique techniques, combining his calligraphy training and precision with the expressive possibilities of painting and drawing.

In his characteristic abstract works, the artist constructs his compositions through successive paint layers, drawing the viewer in with their depth and intensity. Upon closer observation, subtle patterns and perhaps imagined figurative elements may emerge, offering a truly interactive and almost meditative quality to the works.  His paintings convey a sense of movement, with colours blending and shifting, sometimes appearing suspended mid-drip. Laté frequently allows darker underlayers to surface through stratified textures, creating a powerful contrast between vibrant colours and the dark depths beneath, a tension that can be read as symbolic of the dualities of life. He frequently works with found materials as a basis for his compositions, enabling him to explore varied shapes and supports, from large traditional canvases to smaller circular and rectangular formats. In doing so, he subtly challenges conventional pictorial boundaries.

Early in his practice, Laté drew inspiration from nature, exploring organic patterns found in water, mould, and fungi. He experimented with abstraction to reflect on growth, resilience, and the interplay between fragility and vitality, often incorporating found materials and unconventional supports. These studies of natural forms laid the groundwork for his later explorations of more universal and conceptual themes.

Central to Laté’s work is his project tutoiement des infinis (Familiarity with Infinities), a visual exploration of the infinite. Through this concept, he seeks an intimate engagement with boundless space and time, reflecting on the relationship between human experience and the universe. His layered compositions invite contemplation, allowing viewers to lose themselves, discover connections, and experience the infinite in a personal, almost spiritual way.

Richard Laté has exhibited internationally, in Europe, Africa and the United-States, receiving particular recognition at the Biennale Internationale de la Peinture de Ouagadougou (RIPO) in Burkina Faso, and at the gallery Nosbaum Reding in Luxembourg. His works are held in private and public collections around the world, including that of the President of the Republic of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé.