Benin: Visual artist Jean-Magloire Amédé, known as Magou, has died

Jean-Magloire Amédé, known as Magou, born in 1961 in Benin, passed away in Cotonou in the early morning hours of Thursday, October 1, at the age of 65, following an illness.

From his youth until his passing, he demonstrated a keen interest in the visual arts. Having become an artist through on-the-job training—and unable to find an art school in his native country—he quickly became part of the vibrant Beninese art scene of the time, frequenting the few existing artists’ studios and participating in collective, regional, and international artist residencies.

His work is distinguished by a unique visual language centered on the use of oil paint, acrylics, raw pigments, and collaged paper, as well as the repurposing of used materials to add texture to his canvases and sculptures, which primarily explore memory, the sacred, daily life, and the transformations taking place in contemporary African societies.

This uniqueness was quickly recognized: Jean-Magloire Amédé, known as Magou, exhibits in Cotonou and Ouidah in Benin, as well as in Togo, Nigeria, France, and Belgium. His works are also featured in several prestigious collections and regularly appear in auctions dedicated to contemporary African art.

In recent years, he had been working on 3D art and was also involved in a project to develop a virtual museum to showcase contemporary art from Africa and other countries around the world.

Jean-Magloire Amédé, known as Magou, was also a humanist artist and a champion of the arts. Throughout his life, he trained, advised, mentored, and inspired many young artists and visual arts professionals in Benin.

For his colleague, Edwige Araba Akplogan—with whom he shared a friendship spanning more than forty years—Jean-Magloire Amédé, known as Magou, was above all an artist: “a well-rounded artist: textile artist, painter, sculptor, and designer.” “He was an extremely meticulous person, very hard on himself, and possessed many talents. He was a fountain of knowledge and a great archivist. In particular, he loved to collect archives on the arts, art history, and art criticism.”

According to Meschac Gaba, the other leading figure in Beninese art: “I met him in the 1980s, and it was thanks to his gallery that I held one of my first exhibitions in Benin—an exhibition that opened the door to greater opportunities for me. He had a love for others and a love for art.”

Likewise, Magou was very discreet and never put himself forward; rather, he always stayed out of the spotlight. In an exceptional first, he recently took part in a discussion with young curators at the invitation of Nadine Hounkpatin at La Grande Place in Porto Novo. For two hours, he shared his story, his journey, and his experiences with these young people.

May the unconditional love he dedicated to art and to passing on his knowledge ease his journey, and may his art keep him forever in our hearts!