Syl Loko
Painter / Sculptor | Benin
Syl Loko (1996) creates paintings, mixed media canvases and sculptures. On top of colourfully painted backgrounds, he creates figures made out of nails, cans and thread.
“My drawings, paintings and sculptures represent subjects that resonate with memory by establishing a dialogue between culture, lived experiences and the imagination.
Indeed, the theme of my work is the indescribable poetry of these cultural subjects, revealed by painting, sculpture and drawing”.
Artworks
Portrait
Syl Loko (1996) is an emerging contemporary visual artist from Benin, who graduated in visual art at Inmaac National Institute of Crafts of Archaeological and Cultural Art at the University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin). He lives and works in Dèkoungbé in the town of Abomey-Calavi.
His drawings, paintings, mixed media works and sculptures represent subjects that resonate with memory by establishing a dialogue between culture, lived experiences and imagination. He is inspired by the way experiences and decisions form a human being into who they are. This has led him amongst others to the technique of using painted plywood, nails and other recycled materials.
Each nail or point represents the experiences people live through and strengthen and build their identity. Like the nails withstand the blows of the hammer and shape up the image, human beings must, like these nails, face and deal with the challenges and joys that life throws our way, which shapes us to what we are.
Loko started to exhibit early on during his studies and has been participating in various exhibitions at independent art spaces and festivals in Cotonou and online galleries as well as in the Netherlands and Germany.
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Credentials
Exhibitions
2023
#Faces, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
2022
Wékré, Marché d’Art Contemporains de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
2021
L’ART’TRINE, exposition vente aux enchères à la maison rouge Cotonou
Exposition collective du SPECIAL COVID-19 BOULEV’ART au carrefour Ste Cécile Cotonou
2020
Special Boulev’Art against COVID-19, Centre Arts et des Cultures LOBOZOUNKPA, Cotonou, Benin
Open studio No to violence against women and girls, Awobobo Festival d’Arts Plastiques 8th edition, Cotonou, Benin
ArtemisExpo n°4, Expo Artemis
Exposition collective virtuel, Coronavirus le mal interdit,
galerie CLUB DES IDEES
2019
Exposition collective au Centre culturel Français à l’occasion de la fête, noël des enfants, Cotonou
International Day of Visual Arts Benin 6th edition, MB Hôtel de Ganvié, Cotonou, Benin
Rencontre, Chinese Cultural Center, Cotonou, Benin
The other Africa, Afrikan’Art Association, Place des Martyrs, Cotonou, Benin
2018
International theatre festival, FITHEB, Cotonou, Benin
2017
Prom’Art, Campus University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
Residencies and workshops
2021
Résidence de création artistique LES SENTINELLES DU CLIMAT à OUADADA, Centre Culturel, Artistique et Tourisme
2020/2021
Residence related to Special Boulev’Art against COVID-19, Centre Arts et des Cultures LOBOZOUNKPA, Cotonou, Benin
2020
Drawing workshop exchange with students from the Institute de Haute Couture et de Perfectionnement-Christ Fashion
2019
Sculpting internship of 3 months at studio of Benjamin Deguenon, Cotonou, Benin
2018
Workshop by traveling plastic artist Achille ZOHOUN