From 22 September to 17 October 2026, Fnac Saint-Lazare in Paris will host a 26-day spotlight on Benin. Can a commercial bookstore transform itself into a genuine cultural crossroads? The programme—exhibitions, talks, debates, cinema and music—makes a deliberate wager: that history, memory, spirituality and contemporary creation can occupy the same space and speak to one another.
Why Fnac Saint-Lazare is betting on Benin
For nearly a month, Paris will move to a Beninese rhythm. Organised with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Benin in France for several of the announced events, the initiative will take over the third-floor forum of the store. Rather than a folkloric showcase, the line-up sets out to explore multiple facets of the country: its spiritual traditions, its past linked to the Kingdom of Dahomey and the slave trade, the question of cultural restitution, as well as contemporary art, literature, gastronomy and current music.
An opening exhibition where memory meets textile
The kick-off on 22 September is a photography exhibition titled “Ayérayé: Éternel”, devoted to the work of Beninese photographer and designer Eustache Ahomagnon. Running until 17 October, it sits at the crossroads of photography and textile creation.
The artist explores memory, spirituality and contemporary creation through the world of the Egungun, figures tied to ancestor worship among the Yoruba. The images converse with textile pieces inspired by the shapes, materials and movements associated with these traditions.
From the outset, the exhibition sets the tone: a Benin deeply attached to its heritage yet resolutely turned towards contemporary creation.
Spirituality, traditions and voices that tell stories
On 24 September, a conversation will bring together Saskia Cousin Kouton, professor of sociology and author, journalist Delphine Bousquet Hazoumè and researcher Richard J.V. Sogan. They will discuss spirituality, traditions and several works dedicated to Beninese heritage.
The following day, chef Georgiana Viou takes the stage. Born in Benin, she will recount her journey and present her book “Oui cheffe! Du Bénin à l’étoile Michelin. Itinéraire d’une battante”. Her path also opens up gastronomy as a space of cultural transmission: Beninese products and flavours continue to shape her work, even in a cuisine built between multiple influences.
Music then takes over. On 26 September, Beninese artist Joe Kingston will deliver a showcase built around his “Afro futur vibes” universe, where hip-hop meets contemporary African influences. The next day, poet and slam artist Sergent Markus will present his album “Vodun Gospel”, a project nourished by musical references drawn from Vodun culture.
From Dahomey to restitution: facing difficult history
The programme also tackles the most sensitive chapters of Beninese history.
On 1 October, a discussion will focus on Dahomey and the history of slavery. Writer and journalist Vincent Hugeux will exchange with Frédéric Ravatin, engineer and scientific scenographer, notably around the work carried out for the “Bateau de la Mémoire” in Ouidah, conceived as a memorial device dedicated to the slave trade.
The next day, the question of cultural restitution between France and Benin will be at the centre of discussions. Ambassador Angelo Dan, Romain Da Costa and heritage curator Kolawodé Daniel Abidjo will look back at a historic process that has deeply marked cultural relations between the two countries.
This choice of themes gives the event a particularly strong historical and memorial dimension. It is no longer just about presenting works or artists, but about questioning how a country tells its past, preserves its heritage and builds its relationship with the world.
Cinema as a bridge between past and present
On 4 October, cinema takes the floor with the screening of “Retour à Ouidah 1993. Les Revenants”, a documentary by Charles Najman about the return to Ouidah, a city intimately linked to the history of Vodun and to that of the African diaspora born of the slave trade. The screening will be followed by a conversation with journalist, producer and programmer Emmanuelle Honorin.
Through this film, made in the context of the Ouidah 92 Festival, the programme will set images of the past in dialogue with contemporary questions about memory, identity and the ties between Benin and its diaspora.
A contemporary scene front and centre
Current creation is not forgotten. On 30 September, a carte blanche will be given to director, co-producer and cinematographer Mr DYRECK. His work, produced between Benin and France, reflects a new generation of artists using images to tell West Africa differently.
On 10 October, music takes on a new dimension with singer and jazz artist Mina Agossi, invited to present her album “Dynamic. Tribute to Dinah Washington”.
Finally, on 17 October, the programme closes with a showcase by the group Teriba, presented as Benin’s first all-female music group. Formed in 2002, the collective gained attention for its a cappella singing and its commitment to promoting Beninese cultural heritage.
Paris as a meeting point for Beninese cultures
Through this succession of events, Fnac Saint-Lazare turns its Parisian space into a genuine showcase for Benin for nearly four weeks. From photography to gastronomy, from slam to jazz, from cinema to history, the programme paints a plural portrait of a country whose heritage continues to feed contemporary creation.
It also reminds us that Beninese culture is not a frozen legacy. It is passed on, reinvented and debated. Between Vodun traditions, the memory of Dahomey, the history of the slave trade, debates on the restitution of works and new artistic expressions, an entire narrative of Benin is invited into the heart of Paris.
All announced events are free and open to the public, subject to availability. Fnac Saint-Lazare thus invites the curious, lovers of African culture, members of the Beninese diaspora and, more broadly, anyone who wishes to discover or rediscover a country whose history and creation occupy a singular place in cultural exchanges between Africa and France.
