Artist Database

Léonce Raphaël Agbodjélou, born in Porto-Novo, Benin, in 1965, is a prominent photographer known for his ongoing series Citizens of Porto-Novo, which highlights the people of Benin’s capital through composed portraits. Trained by his father Joseph Moise Agbodjélou, a notable photographer, he documents people in traditional attire, often juxtaposed against the backdrop of colonial architecture. His work addresses themes of heritage and transformation in his homeland. Agbodjélou is a key figure in Benin’s artistic community, he founded the country’s first photography school and has exhibited at major institutions like London’s Tate Modern and the Guggenheim Museum in Balboa, Spain.