Sepa

Sepa (b. 1994, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), is an artist whose journey began in West Africa. His passion for wood and fascination for distant places were nurtured early on and further developed as he explored the forests of the Jura Mountains in Haut-Doubs, France, specifically in Métabief.

Sepa lives and works today in Saint-Martin de Lansuscle, in the Cévennes, Lozère, after extensive travels around the world. It is in this place, shaped by the landscape, that he chose to set up his tools. His work is centered around respect for the material, as he personally harvests fallen wood, ensuring it is transportable and integrating its energy into his creations. His process involves working solely by hand, using pruning and cutting tools, without any electric machinery.

A turning point in his practice was a residency in Japan, in collaboration with the Tokyo University of the Arts, which transformed his perception of everyday objects. He began to see utility as sculpture, where bowls and stools animate like small sacred fires, standing at the boundary between utility and art.

Sepa’s art is a fusion of tradition and skill, valuing imperfection and the authenticity of materials. His respect for wood as a universal language is reflected in his creations, where he channels the energy of each piece through his hands, embracing the material’s natural form.

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