Gallery Talk: Romuald Hazoumè in Conversation with Gerard Houghton

Unique opportunity to listen to international artist Romuald Hazoumè discuss his new work. October Gallery is pleased to present a conversation between the artist Romuald Hazoumè and October Gallery’s Director of Special Projects, Gerard Houghton, held in conjunction with the exhibition Romuald Hazoumè: My Blue Period. The discussion will offer unique insights into Hazoumè’s distinctive practice and the ideas that inform his sculptural language. Drawing on the works presented in the exhibition, Hazoumè will reflect on the conceptual, material and cultural frameworks that shape his work, together with the inspirations and concerns that underly his current practice. Known for his incisive engagement with history, politics, individual identity and the complexities of contemporary life, Hazoumè has developed a singular visual vocabulary in which found materials and everyday objects are transformed into compelling and often provocative sculptural forms. This conversation provides a rare opportunity to see the diverse works displayed in My Blue Period through the artist’s own eyes and to consider the wider contexts that underpin this exhibition. Places are limited and advance registration is recommended. The conversation will take place on the ground floor of October Gallery. Coffee and croissants to be served before the event. Doors open at 10:30 am, with the talk starting at 11:00 am prompt. The exhibition Romuald Hazoumè: My Blue Period and Gallery Talk are supported by using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Romuald Hazoumè at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair New works by Romuald Hazoumè will also be presented at Booth S7 at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair,Somerset House, Strand — approximately 20 minutes’ walk or 5 minutes by taxi or public transport from October Gallery. About Romuald Hazoumè Hazoumè has created some of the most iconic bodies of work in contemporary African art. Whether taking aim at endemic political corruption in Africa or addressing the global indifference compounding environmental disasters, Hazoumè visually striking works leave little hiding room for those implicated. His work has been exhibited in major international galleries and museums across the globe including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK; the Centre Pompidou and the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, France; and ICP, New York, USA. In 2018, Hazoumè was exhibited in the KYOTOGRAPHIE international photography festival, Kyoto, Japan. His works have been included in Ex-Africa, Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris, France, Expression(s) décoloniale(s) #2, Château des Duc de Bretagne, Musée d’Histoire de Nantes, Nantes, France and Portable Sculpture, Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds, UK. Recently a solo exhibition of his paintings, Romuald Hazoumè: The Fâ Series (Sep 2023 – Feb 2024) was held at the Neuberger Museum of Art at Purchase College, SUNY, USA. In 2024, Romuald Hazoumè was selected as one of the four major artists to represent The Republic of Benin with Àṣẹ, a large-scale installation, created from petrol canisters, for The Republic of Benin’s inaugural participation at the 60th edition of La Biennale di Venezia. His photographs were selected for the group exhibition, We Are Here: Scenes from the Streets at ICP, New York, NY, USA, (Sep 2024 – Jan 2025). As part of the Climate Biennale Vienna 2026, Hazoumè was commissioned by the museum in progress to present Alter Eco, a total of ten flags based on the Ifá divination system, a body of centuries-old ancestral wisdom of the Yoruba- speaking cultures of West Africa and in the diaspora today, displayed in Vienna, Austria. Hazoumè’s works are in prominent public and private collections around the world, including the permanent collections of the British Museum, London, UK; QAGOMA, Brisbane, Australia; National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA; MoMA, New York, USA; the Pigozzi Collection, Geneva, Switzerland; and the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, France. About Gerard Houghton Gerard Houghton - Director of Special Projects Gerard Houghton was born in England. After graduating from Churchill College, Cambridge, he travelled in West Africa, working as an interpreter, before moving to Japan, in 1980, where he taught Literature and Linguistics at Nara Women’s University and Kyoto University. He has been with October Gallery since 1994, and as Special Projects' Director co-ordinates a variety of Gallery projects and oversees all things textual: writing essays, articles, catalogues, etc. He is also a free-lance writer, translator and editor with interests in a wide range of subjects both artistic and scientific. October Gallery Trust has nurtured and promoted extraordinary artists from a multitude of cultures — long before such global perspectives became common practice. The gallery has been widely valued as a nexus for artistic, intellectual and ecological collaboration, supported by a rich cross-cultural education programme. As we look ahead, we do so with the same pioneering spirit that defined our beginnings. Your support helps us continue offering individuals and communities a welcoming, globally minded oasis. A small donation of £5 will help preserve our historic gallery as a sanctuary for creativity, ecology and learning. Please donate by clicking the link here. 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