Artistic description of the photography : In this composition, the human body becomes a vessel of memory. The mask, placed at the top of the frame, acts as a bridge between the visible and the invisible, between collective history and intimate identity.
The interplay of light and shadow creates a symbolic dialogue where body, object, and spirit converge. Themes of identity, heritage, and transformation are central to this image.
This work transcends the simple representation of the human form, questioning cultural belonging and the multiplicity of the self. It is both a celebration and an inquiry: what remains of us when the body fades into darkness, leaving only the trace of history?
Artistic description of the “body and light” series : The Body and Light series explores the presence of the body in space and its relationship with time. Inspired by contemporary dance and sculpture, Yawo WODY collaborates with dancers and performers to capture the poetry of movement and the transformation of forms.
Through a refined use of chiaroscuro, the artist sculpts light to reveal emotion, intensity, and vulnerability. The series addresses themes of identity, bodily territories, and collective memory, offering the viewer an immersive and introspective experience.
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.
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.
2025 – Venice Architecture Biennale (Italy) Featured in the Togo Pavilion, curated by the Palais de Lomé
2023 – AKAA Art Fair (Also Known As Africa), Paris Presented the series “Corps et lumière|Body and Light.”
2022 – Group Exhibition, Palais de Lomé (Togo).
2021 – Festival of Contemporary Arts, Cotonou, Benin.
2020 – Solo Exhibition “Ombres et Présences | Shadows and Presences,” Lomé.
