World of signs, memory and living symbols
The Artist
Geraud B. Cledjo
Geraud B. Cledjo is a contemporary visual artist and cultural director whose practice centers on ‘Le GeRoMeTrE’ a proprietary symbolic alphabet that bridges ancestral African heritage with global abstraction.
Biography
A view between two shores
Geraud B. Cledjo is a Beninese – Canadian visual artist and Artistic Director at the Tano Kora Foundation. His work explores the intersections of African memory, spirituality, and contemporary abstraction. Through expressive figures, vibrant colors, and handprints that have become his signature, he creates a distinctive visual universe in which art becomes a universal language.
As the creator of the GeRoMeTrE, an original alphabet composed of signs, glyphs, and geometric structures, Cledjo has developed a symbolic system that reimagines cultural narratives while exploring themes of identity, transmission, and the future.
His work has been exhibited in Sherbrooke, Montreal, Toronto, New York, Miami, and Abidjan, as well as during the 2024 Dakar Biennale and Miami Art Basel 2024.
Alongside his artistic practice, he serves as Artistic Director of the Tano Kora Foundation, where he collaborates with the broader team to develop cultural and educational initiatives dedicated to knowledge transmission and the promotion of contemporary African art on the global stage.
Artistic Journey
A trajectory that has evolved from local roots in Canada to international recognition, centered around key hubs : Montreal, New York, Miami, Dakar, and Abidjan, revealing a practice in constant expansion, at the intersection of territories and narratives.
Group exhibition — Artifact Gallery
→ A strong presence on the New York art scene, marking a continuation of international engagement.
Group exhibition — Tano Kora Foundation
→ Institutional roots and engagement in a local and diaspora-based artistic dynamic.
Miami Art Basel Week — Red Dot Miami December 2024
Dakar Biennale (Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire) November – December 2024
Azur Gallery New YorkSeptember – October 2024
Consulate General of France - June 2024
→ Pivotal year: major international visibility through art fairs, biennials, and institutions.
Azur Gallery Miami June – August 2023
→ Consolidation of presence in the North American market.
Solo exhibition — Atelier Galerie 2112 October 2022
Solo exhibition — La Chasse Galerie August 2021
Charity solo exhibition — Expose pour la cause September – October 2021
Group exhibition — Pop-up art gallery September – October 2021
→ First notable exhibitions, balancing social engagement and artistic development.
Creative process
Three obsessions, one painting
The Gesture as Presence
An instinctive process guided by intuition, finger painting, direct contact between body and canvas—without filters or distance. Every stroke is a trace of the self.
The symbolic alphabet
A personal language of signs, symbols, and codes rooted in African heritage, constantly evolving. It weaves narratives that bridge childhood, spirituality, and contemporary life.
Giving shape to the invisible
A practice guided by the sound of the kora, serving as a bridge to a deeper rhythm and lineage. The personal experience becomes universal.
The Workshop
Step into a world of making
