Cyprien Tokoudagba (1939-2012)

At an early age, self-taught artist from Benin, Cyprien Tokoudagba was sent to a Voudou temple to learn the skills of the priesthood. While he would eventually follow a different path in life (in addition to his work as an artist, he also worked as an art restorer at the Abomey Museum in Benin), the religious symbols and traditions of Voudou can be seen throughout his work. Tokoudagba has turned his art in service to the gods and kings of his native Abomey into a broader mission of preserving cultural heritage for younger generations. He was an initiate of vodun Tôhôssou, god of the water. He began his artwork by adorning the walls of vodun temples, and later restored the “bas-reliefs” of the royal palaces of Abomey. While he originally worked on decorating Voudou temples with deities, his inclusion in the 1989 Paris exhibition "Magiciens de la Terre" eventually led him to painting on canvas. In his own words, he states: “For me art is something that emerges from my inner self. Art is the representation of thoughts and knowledge. It is an elevated sphere, a castle for philosophers. An artist value is much too great to be explained. Art is inside my head.”