Shawn N. Hounkpatin: Beninese fashion, art and documentary photographer exploring identity, memory and Black utopia | 54Ruum Spotlight

Shawn N. Hounkpatin is a Beninese photographer and filmmaker born in 2001 in Cotonou. Growing up in a city in constant transformation, he learned to observe change as both fragility and potential. Watching his country evolve strengthened his commitment to creating work that serves his community while leaving space for imagination and new possibilities.

His practice exists at the intersection of photography and cinema, guided by a deeply narrative and sensitive approach. Each image is conceived as a painting - a projection of his imagination, emotions, and desires.

He seeks to capture the aesthetics of the world around him, that subtle beauty we often overlook but that reveals itself when we take the time to pause and truly observe. His work is an attempt to grasp this quiet magic and to highlight the harmony and aesthetic present in everyday life.

Through the archiving of both reality and imagination, he aims to preserve fragments of his time while proposing his own vision of a Black utopia - one that is soft, powerful, and intimate. His work is not only aesthetic but intentional, rooted in transmission and collective memory.

Influenced by fashion and cinematic language, he uses garments as narrative tools. Clothing becomes a way to tell stories, build atmospheres, and shape identities.

He has collaborated with brands such as Daily Paper and Converse. In 2025, he directed "Les Amazones de l’Art" - commissioned by the Government of Benin and screened at the Women’s Pavilion by Cartier during the Osaka World Expo.

His short films "My Lover" and "Between Land and Ocean" extend his exploration of poetic and introspective cinema. His recent exhibition project Enchantress further develops his immersive approach, exploring spirituality, nature, and interiority.

How would you describe yourself?

I am a storyteller and a deeply curious person. I love stories that are beautifully told, the kind that take you on a journey and transform you in the process. That is exactly what I hope to achieve through my art.

How did you get started in photography?

Everything started with curiosity. As a child, I would spend hours going through my parents’ photo albums, especially pictures from celebrations and masked balls from past decades. I found them fascinating. They felt magical and allowed me to travel through time.

I have always lived deeply in my imagination. When I discovered the internet in middle school, it opened an entirely new world for me. I began exploring art and fashion magazines online, discovering powerful images.

Those photographs expanded my perception of what an image could be. They were not just memories, but statements, atmospheres, entire worlds. That discovery pushed me to start experimenting with my mother’s phone.

I photographed everything around me: flowers, wall textures, details in the sand, and moments of daily life. I was observing, testing, and trying.

What type of photography do you specialise in, and why this speciality?

I work between fashion, art, and documentary photography. My approach is cinematic and narrative-driven. Over time, my work evolved from spontaneous street photography to more structured, symbolic storytelling, influenced by magical realism and film language.

What are the main themes that inspire your photography?

Identity, memory, heritage, transformation, and the relationship between humans and their environment. I aim to create images that feel both intimate and universal, allowing viewers to connect emotionally beyond geography.

What moment in your photography career are you most proud of?

I would say the campaign I worked on in partnership with Daily Paper and Converse. Through the Homecoming campaign in Senegal, I was able to truly express what I want my art to become.

It was not just a commercial collaboration, but an opportunity to merge fashion, identity, territory, and cinematic storytelling in a way that felt authentic to me.

I am also proud to have directed my short narrative documentary Between Land and Ocean, which marked an important step in my transition from photography to cinema and deepened my commitment to poetic, human-centred storytelling.

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a photographer?

That would be working in a context where the artistic and commercial culture of photography is still developing. In an industry that remains at an early stage, there is often a limited understanding of storytelling-driven campaigns or conceptually strong visual narratives.

My goal is to build layered storytelling and emotionally powerful images within both my campaigns and artistic projects. I sometimes encounter limitations in how projects are imagined or commissioned.

Clients are not always used to thinking in terms of narrative depth or visual world-building, which can restrict creative possibilities. It can sometimes feel repetitive, even frustrating, when ideas are reduced rather than expanded.

As a young artist, I am also in constant reflection about my artistic practice and direction. Creating intentional work requires patience, discipline, and continuous self-education. It is not only about producing images, but about understanding why they exist and what they contribute.

For that reason, I have often had to self-finance personal projects to create work that truly reflects my vision. Rather than waiting for ideal conditions, I chose to build them myself. In many ways, these constraints have strengthened my clarity and commitment as an artist.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why?

So many, haha. For photographers: Tyler Mitchell, Rafael Pavarotti, and Gabriel Moses. For brands: Isigo and Yoshita 1967.

What do you think of the 54Ruum?

54Ruum plays an important role in amplifying African creative voices. Platforms like this are essential for shaping narratives from within the continent and connecting local talent to global audiences.

How's the photography and art space in your country?

The art and photography industry in Benin is slowly evolving. A new generation of artists is emerging, eager to express themselves and help grow the creative scene. There is a real desire to build something meaningful and long-term.

Over the past ten years, the government has also made efforts to support art, culture, and tourism through reforms, new cultural development agencies, and partnerships with regional production companies. These changes are gradually creating more opportunities.

Today, Benin feels like an open space for creation, with strong potential for industry development. The energy is there. The main challenge now is ensuring that economic conditions continue to improve so that artists can fully sustain their work.

What advice would you give to someone starting in photography?

Trust your sensitivity. Technique can be learned, but your perspective is unique. Stay curious, study cinema and art history, and build consistency before chasing visibility.