Art Gallery

Yawo WODY

Self-taught Photographer, Exhibition Curator and Artistic Director

Yawo WODY is a self-taught photographer, exhibition curator, and artistic director based in Lomé, Togo. His visual universe explores the interactions between the body, light, and movement, drawing inspiration from contemporary dance and three-dimensional forms.

Through striking black-and-white imagery, his work captures bodies in a state of transition and transformation, suspended between presence and disappearance.

WODY’s photographs question themes such as identity, territory, and the human condition, combining poetry, intensity, and socio-political reflection. Recognized on both the West African and international art scenes, he develops a unique visual language where elegance meets conceptual depth.

Career Overview

Self-taught photographer inspired by collaborations with dancers, choreographers, and contemporary artists.
Works as an artistic director and curator, developing projects at the intersection of photography, performance, and visual arts.
Builds a singular artistic identity through a sculptural approach to light and the expressive power of movement.

Artistic Statement

Yawo WODY’s photographic practice delves into the fluid relationship between the human body, space, and light. Guided by a constant pursuit of balance, elegance, and poetic resonance, his work transforms photography into a choreographic language where movement becomes narrative.

His series “Corps et lumière” (Body and Light) embodies this approach. Inspired by his passion for contemporary dance and enriched through collaborations with dancers and choreographers from various companies, the series unfolds in three chapters, questioning:

the body’s relationship with time,
its inscription in space,
and the transformations of identity it undergoes.

WODY sculpts his subjects with light, using both natural and artificial sources to reveal subtle details of form, texture, and emotion. His black-and-white images, often set against deep, minimalist backgrounds, create a tension between appearance and dissolution. Each photograph becomes a visual narrative, where energy, intimacy, and abstraction coexist.

Beyond aesthetics, his work engages with social and political questions, reflecting on themes such as power dynamics, territoriality, identity, and the evolving state of the world. Through his lens, Yawo WODY invites viewers into a space where the human body becomes a living sculpture, oscillating between fragility and transcendence.