Kodjovi Olympio
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Olympio hails from Togo, West Africa, and grew up in a large family of eight children. He has been honing his artistic skills since creating his earliest sculptures from building scraps. Olympio's artistic achievements have garnered attention across Togo and neighboring countries, with exhibitions at esteemed venues such as the Lomé City Art Center and the luxury Hotel Sarakawa. In 2001, Olympio took a bold step by leaving his African home to showcase and sell his works in the artistic hub of Paris. Eventually, the artist found a new home in the United States in 2003, relocating to New York and Los Angeles.
Olympio's work has been exhibited around the world at museums including the Latino Art Museum in Pomona, CA; Chiba City Museum of Art in Chiba, Japan; and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan. His work has been exhibited at Art Basel Miami, where in 2018 he was ranked one of the Top 10 Artists at Red Dot Art Basel Miami. He was one of sixty people from across the world selected to exhibit in “Out of the Fire,” the 14th edition of the Dakar Biennale in 2022, one of Africa’s oldest and largest exhibitions of contemporary art in Dakar, Senegal. He has also been featured in numerous TV appearances, including France 2, TV5Monde, and the BBC.
Olympio's journey as an artist began in Togo, West Africa, where he was raised in a bustling family of eight siblings. From a young age, he displayed a passion for artistic expression, fashioning his initial sculptures from discarded building materials. As he advanced through high school, Olympio's creative explorations expanded. He delved into a diverse array of mixed media, including the use of acrylic and oil paints, and ventured into the realm of collage techniques on canvas. His artistic evolution embodies a compelling fusion of diverse influences and a rich background.
Olympio's artistic achievements have garnered attention across Togo and neighboring countries, with exhibitions at esteemed venues such as the Lomé city art center and the luxurious Hotel Sarakawa. In 2001, Olympio took a bold step by leaving his African home to showcase and sell his works in the artistic hub of Paris. Eventually, the artist found a new home in the United States, relocating to Los Angeles and New York in 2003. Today, Olympio continues to captivate audiences with his artwork that reflects his multicultural experiences and his vibrant, diverse artistic style.
Olympio achieved a major breakthrough in the international art scene during Art Basel Miami 2018, where he was ranked as one of the Top 10 Artists at the Red Dot Fine Art Fair. The artist's innate talent drew comparisons to the legendary American artist Jackson Pollock, further cementing his status as a rising star in the art world. Today, Olympio's works continue to grace galleries and major international art fairs across the United States and the world. His creative journey has also caught the attention of leading media outlets, including France 2, TV5Monde, and the BBC, who have all featured the artist's works and unique artistic vision.
Olympio's paintings are a reflection of his instinctive approach to art. Each work is an unfiltered expression of his soul, capturing a moment in time through a language of its own. The artist's raw and uncompromisingly direct style is balanced by a sense of peace and stillness that emanate from each piece's surface. For Olympio, there is no hidden story or elusive meaning behind his work. Each painting is everything and nothing, as simple as a heartbeat yet as complex as a hurricane.
Olympio compares living to being on top of an empty building. “The center is the safest place to be, but if you can manage to live on the edge with out falling down, you would be able to see not just what is on top of that building, but also what is at the bottom of it, only then you can truly get a sense of what is going on around you. Yes I believe in taking risks, taking risks has led me to experiences that thought me about myself and the rest of the world. But I also believe taking risks is not something you choose or should choose, it is something you feel, it has to be who are.”
EXHIBITIONS
2019-23 Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Art Palm Springs, Karyn Mannix Contemporary, Palm Springs, CA
“Voltage,” Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
LA Art Show, bG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Immigration Celebration, Part I,” Laurent Proneur Gallery
Superfine! Fair, Magic Box LA, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Red Dot Miami, Miami, FL
Art Basel, Miami, FL
Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
Latino Art Museum, Pomona, CA
BG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Wallspace at the Brewery Fall Art Walk, Wallspace, Los Angeles, CA
2017 LA Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA
LA Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
The IXA, Art Show, Venice, CA
Gallery AF, Lome, Togo
Haz Gallery, San Pedro, CA
Beverly Hills Art Show, Beverly Hills, CA
2016 LA Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA
“Everything & Nothing: Artworks by Olympio,” Huz Gallery, San Pedro, CA
The North Hollywood Show, Van Nuys, CA
“Everything & Nothing,” Olympio Art Space, North Hollywood, CA
The Old Town Show, San Diego, CA
BG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2015 Solo Show, Blackstone Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Hamilton Galleries, Santa Monica, CA
Blackstone Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 Gallery Sommerlath, Culver City, CA
Solo Show, Hamilton Galleries, Santa Monica, CA
2013 The Grand Hand Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2012 Solo Show, The Grand Hand Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2011 “The Bridge of Sand,” St. Thomas University, St. Paul, MN
2009 A-Z Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2008 The Northrop King Show, Minneapolis, MN
A-Z Gallery, St. Paul, MN
Frankstone Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2007 Gallery 13, Minneapolis, MN
2002 Gallery Golfe, Lome, Togo
CCF Gallery, Lome, Togo
2001 Gallery Agbodan, Lome, Togo
2000 Monique Chevre, Sweden
1999 Gallery Merveille, Lome, Togo
Soleil Gallery, Lome, Togo
PRESS
2019 Interview with BBC Afrique: “Mes œuvres d’art racontent tout et rien à la fois”
2019 TV5Monde
2019 Feature: France2 Télé Matin
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Caspar von Winterfeldt
Olympio's journey as an artist began in Togo, West Africa, where he was raised in a bustling family of eight siblings. From a young age, he displayed a passion for artistic expression, fashioning his initial sculptures from discarded building materials. As he advanced through high school, Olympio's creative explorations expanded. He delved into a diverse array of mixed media, including the use of acrylic and oil paints, and ventured into the realm of collage techniques on canvas. His artistic evolution embodies a compelling fusion of diverse influences and a rich background.
Olympio's artistic achievements have garnered attention across Togo and neighboring countries, with exhibitions at esteemed venues such as the Lomé city art center and the luxurious Hotel Sarakawa. In 2001, Olympio took a bold step by leaving his African home to showcase and sell his works in the artistic hub of Paris. Eventually, the artist found a new home in the United States, relocating to Los Angeles and New York in 2003. Today, Olympio continues to captivate audiences with his artwork that reflects his multicultural experiences and his vibrant, diverse artistic style.
Olympio achieved a major breakthrough in the international art scene during Art Basel Miami 2018, where he was ranked as one of the Top 10 Artists at the Red Dot Fine Art Fair. The artist's innate talent drew comparisons to the legendary American artist Jackson Pollock, further cementing his status as a rising star in the art world. Today, Olympio's works continue to grace galleries and major international art fairs across the United States and the world. His creative journey has also caught the attention of leading media outlets, including France 2, TV5Monde, and the BBC, who have all featured the artist's works and unique artistic vision.
Olympio's paintings are a reflection of his instinctive approach to art. Each work is an unfiltered expression of his soul, capturing a moment in time through a language of its own. The artist's raw and uncompromisingly direct style is balanced by a sense of peace and stillness that emanate from each piece's surface. For Olympio, there is no hidden story or elusive meaning behind his work. Each painting is everything and nothing, as simple as a heartbeat yet as complex as a hurricane.
Olympio compares living to being on top of an empty building. “The center is the safest place to be, but if you can manage to live on the edge with out falling down, you would be able to see not just what is on top of that building, but also what is at the bottom of it, only then you can truly get a sense of what is going on around you. Yes I believe in taking risks, taking risks has led me to experiences that thought me about myself and the rest of the world. But I also believe taking risks is not something you choose or should choose, it is something you feel, it has to be who are.”
EXHIBITIONS
2019-23 Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Art Palm Springs, Karyn Mannix Contemporary, Palm Springs, CA
“Voltage,” Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
LA Art Show, bG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Immigration Celebration, Part I,” Laurent Proneur Gallery
Superfine! Fair, Magic Box LA, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Red Dot Miami, Miami, FL
Art Basel, Miami, FL
Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
Latino Art Museum, Pomona, CA
BG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Wallspace at the Brewery Fall Art Walk, Wallspace, Los Angeles, CA
2017 LA Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA
LA Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
The IXA, Art Show, Venice, CA
Gallery AF, Lome, Togo
Haz Gallery, San Pedro, CA
Beverly Hills Art Show, Beverly Hills, CA
2016 LA Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA
“Everything & Nothing: Artworks by Olympio,” Huz Gallery, San Pedro, CA
The North Hollywood Show, Van Nuys, CA
“Everything & Nothing,” Olympio Art Space, North Hollywood, CA
The Old Town Show, San Diego, CA
BG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2015 Solo Show, Blackstone Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Hamilton Galleries, Santa Monica, CA
Blackstone Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 Gallery Sommerlath, Culver City, CA
Solo Show, Hamilton Galleries, Santa Monica, CA
2013 The Grand Hand Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2012 Solo Show, The Grand Hand Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2011 “The Bridge of Sand,” St. Thomas University, St. Paul, MN
2009 A-Z Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2008 The Northrop King Show, Minneapolis, MN
A-Z Gallery, St. Paul, MN
Frankstone Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2007 Gallery 13, Minneapolis, MN
2002 Gallery Golfe, Lome, Togo
CCF Gallery, Lome, Togo
2001 Gallery Agbodan, Lome, Togo
2000 Monique Chevre, Sweden
1999 Gallery Merveille, Lome, Togo
Soleil Gallery, Lome, Togo
PRESS
2019 Interview with BBC Afrique: “Mes œuvres d’art racontent tout et rien à la fois”
2019 TV5Monde
2019 Feature: France2 Télé Matin
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Caspar von Winterfeldt