nobel koty (b. 1988, cotonou, benin) is a visual artist whose practice explores the emotional terrain of the human experience through self-portraiture. His paintings examine fragility, resilience, and presence—offering a deeply introspective approach to figuration. Working primarily with acrylic, he treats the body as both subject and surface, mapping the tension between what is visible and what lies beneath. thick layers of paint are layered onto canvas like skin, textured and marked by time.

for koty, painting is a meditative process, a mirror through which he explores the quiet complexities of selfhood. minimal backdrops and tactile surfaces draw the viewer inward, inviting reflection on identity, vulnerability, and the gaze of others. in his approach to self-portraiture, koty had previously focused on the face—but during his residency, he turned his attention to the body. he began to explore natural gestures and postures of rest, using the figure to hold space for emotion and calm. his triptych rest (2025), embodies this shift—centring the body in a state of quiet presence.

during his time with us, koty expanded his visual language through exchange with artists in accra's vibrant figurative painting scene. coming from benin, where sculpture and culturally referential practices are more prominent, he found inspiration in the contrast—and in the spacious, serene environment of the residency itself. “dot.ateliers gave me time to observe, connect, and reflect,” he shared. his favourite spot: the top-floor exhibition space and the views of the coast from the studio. to engage the community he hosted workshop at the residency with elders from the surrounding community, where they enjoyed an instructive session on painting still life.