Elise Tokoudagba
Sculptor | Benin
Elise Tokoudagba, an autodidact painter and sculptor, inherits a rich artistic legacy from her parents, steeped in the spiritual traditions of Dahomey and Vodoun culture. Through vibrant sculptures crafted from locally sourced red clay, she brings to life the intricate symbolism of traditional Vodoun deities, ensuring their enduring presence in contemporary art and spiritual practice.
Portrait
Elise Tokoudagba is an autodidact painter and sculptor who grew up working early on in the studio of her late father, being an internationally highly acknowledged painter and researcher of Voudoun imagery and her mother being a ceramic sculptor, at the very center of the old kingdoms of Dahomey and the Voudoun religion. Being firmly rooted in the local art community and this rich background of spiritual traditions, she continues the inherited lineage in her own contemporary style, amongst others with colorful sculptures in large as well as small formats made of locally produced red clay painted with car oil paint.
Colorful ceramics represent some of the numerous deities and spirits from the traditional Vodoun religion, each of them carefully arranged with the right attributes, symbols and colors, becoming new bearers of knowledge of the non-written spiritual traditions into the future.
Elise Tokoudagba is an autodidact painter and sculptor who grew up working early on in the studio of her late father, an internationally highly acknowledged painter and researcher of Voudoun imagery, and her mother being a ceramic sculptor, at the very center of the old kingdoms of Dahomey and the Voudoun religion. Being firmly rooted in the local art community and this rich background of spiritual traditions, she continues the inherited lineage in her own contemporary style, amongst others with colorful sculptures in large as well as small formats made of locally produced red clay painted with car oil paint.
Her colorful ceramics represent some of the numerous deities and spirits from the traditional Vodoun religion, each of them carefully arranged with the right attributes, symbols and colors, becoming new bearers of knowledge of the non-written spiritual traditions into the future.
Works
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Credentials
2024
- AKAA Paris, France, via Galerie Vallois
- Interstellaire - Hommage à la sculpture du Bénin, Septieme Gallery, Cotonou, Benin
- Gléhoué - Home of the Earth, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
2023
- Shadows of Ancestors, The Center, Cotonou, Benin
2022
- Benin Art, Yesterday and Today: From Restitution to Revelation, Presidential Palace, Cotonou, Benin
1990 - 2000: Training received under the guidance of Tokoudagba's late father, Cyprien Tokoudagba, a renowned international artist, modeler, sculptor, and painter
- Small clay statuettes
- Concrete statues (monuments)
- Bas-reliefs in clay, cement, and plaster
- Painting on canvas
- Iron cages to protect condiments
2024
- Bas-reliefs at the royal palace of King Agonglo
- Bas-relief at the convent of the private palace of Sèmessou
- Bas-relief at the convent of the private palace of ZOMADONOU
- Bas-relief at the convent of the royal palace of King TEGBESSOU
- Bas-relief at the convent of the DONOUVO family household
- High-relief at the MEVO family household
- Bas-relief at the AGOMADJE LIGBE family household
2023
- High-relief in Porto-Novo
- High-relief in ALLADA
- High-relief in SAVALOU
- Portrait high-relief at the MAHISSI TROYA household
- Bas-relief at the GOUKPOTÔ household
- Bas-relief at IFAN–ZOU
- Statue at the ZANGBTO convent of the TOKOUDAGBA household
- Portrait and monument statue at the Mehou household
- High-relief at the SEKLOKA household
2022
- Self-portrait bas-relief in Savalou
- Bas-reliefs at the royal palace of Dègan in Zapkota
2021
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the royal temple in AKIZA
- Statues and bas-reliefs at Mehou's residence in Cococodji
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the Agerialand Center
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the AMOUSSOUGA family household
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the MEVO family household
- Statues and bas-reliefs at Mr. ZINKPE's unique center
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the French Cultural Center
2020
- Statues and bas-reliefs at Mami Hounnon TOKPONHÔ's residence
- Bas-reliefs at the royal temple AGASSOUNON
- Bas-reliefs at the Royal Palace of Agoliagbo
- Bas-reliefs at the Royal Palace of Agoua
- Bas-reliefs at the ADJOLOHOUN family household
2019
- Bas-reliefs at the BOSSOUHON family household
- Bas-reliefs at the ADANVENON family household
- Bas-reliefs at the BAHANGNANSI family household
- Bas-reliefs at the AKLAMOLI family household
2018
- Bas-reliefs at the ZEWA temple in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs and decorating poles at Abomey, NAN Hounmêton household
- Bas-reliefs and decorating poles at Abomey, SINSIN GBEMETONOU household
- Bas-reliefs and decorating poles at Abomey, MATRO household
- Bas-reliefs and decorating poles at Allada, SOKOU household
2017
- Bas-reliefs at the ZOGBODOME Town Hall
- Bas-reliefs and statues at the TCHIAKPE household in Cococodji
- Bas-reliefs and statues at the GUEDOU family household in TORI
- Bas-reliefs and statues at the LISSAZOUNME Center
- Bas-reliefs at the DJÔGBENOU Paul household in HINVI
- Bas-reliefs at the LINKPEHOUN Rémi household in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs at the AZÔMANHOU family household in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs at the HOUEDJISSIN Rita household in Agbangnizoun
2016
- Bas-reliefs at the AKALOGOUN family household in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs at the DJÔGBENOU household in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs at the TÔHAN household in Agbangnizoun
2015
- Statues and bas-reliefs at the private palace of DJEHÔSSOU in KPOMASSE (OUIDAH)
- Bas-reliefs at the DJIMAN household in Agbangnizoun
- Bas-reliefs at the KINTA district
- Bas-reliefs at the Agbangnizoun Town Hall
2014
- Emblem of King Guézo at his Private Palace in Abomey
- Statues and bas-reliefs for the HOUNBADJI family house in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs for the KPÉLOU temple in LÈGO, Abomey
- Bas-reliefs and statues for the AGOSSA family house in Houawo
- Bas-reliefs and statues for the DAKOHOUEGBÈ Nestor's house (HWAWÉ)
- Bas-reliefs and statues for the Private Palace of SAGBADJOU in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs and statues for the SEKLÔKA family house in Abomey
- Bas-reliefs and statues for Dah TÔKPÔ's house in Cotonou
2013
- Bas-reliefs for the Catholic Church, Notre Dame de l'Assomption d'Agnangnan/Abomey
- Statues and bas-reliefs for the ZINSOU Foundation in Cotonou
- Repairing and decorating old monuments in Ouidah '92. Statues previously crafted by my late father, Cyprien TOKOUDAGBA, the earth magician
- Bas-reliefs for Mr. Maxime HOUEDJISSIN's family house (Director of ARCHA)
- Bas-reliefs for the Private Palace of Dah AHO GLELE in Abomey
2012
- Bas-reliefs for the SOROPTIMIST Gazelle Club in Cotonou
2011
- Bas-reliefs for Mr. LOUKOU Michel's house (Alèkpéhanhou)
2010
- Bas-reliefs for the Private Palace of King BEHANZIN
2009
- Statues and bas-reliefs for Mr. DEGAN, Vice-Rector of the University of Abomey-Calavi
- Clay statues and bas-reliefs for the President of the Republic (Dr. Thomas Boni Yayi)
2008
- Statues and bas-reliefs for Mr. KINDJANHOUNDE Zéphirin in his village of Akiza
2007
- Bas-reliefs for the Abomey City Hall
- Bas-reliefs for the Abomey Prefecture
- Bas-reliefs for the Abomey Sub-prefecture
2006
- Bas-reliefs on behalf of the Abomey Road Brigade
2005
- Bas-reliefs on behalf of the Abomey Research Brigade
2000 - 2003
- Statues and bas-reliefs for Vodoun temples