The Mask Does Not Arrive Quietly
At the Festival des Masques in Porto-Novo, music, movement and the reaction of the crowd are part of what photographer Kelvin Selasie Quist remembers most. Over two days in July, he photographed the masquerades moving through the festival, the people gathered around them and the moments in between. “I was drawn to the energy, colors, […]
Why Artists Keep Returning to Grand-Popo
When Joshua Gbengene visited Grand-Popo for the third time in December 2025, he was simply keeping a distance from work. After months of working nonstop on a series of creative projects, including a pop-up and an installation, the multidisciplinary artist travelled to the coastal town in search of somewhere quiet enough to slow down, clear […]
Marriage Was Always the Plan for These African Men. Until It Wasn’t
The average African man is often assumed to want marriage, or at least that is the expectation many grow up with. For centuries, marriage has been positioned as one of adulthood’s defining milestones, a marker of success and fulfillment against which many men are quietly measured. In many communities, that expectation begins early. Almost as […]
At BAKUS ORAYA, Cotton in Its Final State
BAKUS ORAYA is the kind of house that builds its identity by what it leaves out. Since founding the label, Abdoul Manane Bakary has approached fabric as origin rather than ornament, and Coton Brut, the collection he has been refining across multiple shows, has been the long case for that position. The final chapter, presented […]
Cotonou Knows Exactly What It’s Doing
Cotonou Knows Exactly What It’s Doing Amazone Statue, Cotonou, Benin. Photo: Présidence du Bénin. Every West African knows Cotonou, whether or not they have ever stopped to think about why. The auntie who goes for fabric knows it. The trader who crosses the border from Nigeria knows it. The goods that show up in Lagos […]
Kondokpo: Georgiana Viou and Nokx Majozi at Sofitel Cotonou
On the evening of April 1st, inside the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa, that shift took form around a table
At Sofitel Cotonou Marina, Georgiana Viou Welcomes Nokx Majozi for the Next Les Rendez-vous de L’Ami
On April 1, Les Rendez-vous de L’Ami returns to L’Ami at Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa
Africa at the Winter Olympics 2026: The Distance Between Flags and Facilities
From February 6-22, 2026, the world turns its attention to northern Italy for the Winter Olympics, staged across Milan, Cortina
Who Makes Luxury?
When news circulated that Nigeria had quietly supplied leather to some of the world’s most prestigious fashion
Best of Culture 2025
2025 was the year African culture stopped explaining itself. The shift was visible