About us
Who we are
Founded in Douala in 2023, Artopia is a Cameroonian company dedicated to art publishing, graphic design, and curation. We support artists and institutions in creating high-standard projects, translating complex visions into lasting visual identities and editorial objects.
Driven by the belief that Cameroon deserves archives that match its creative talent, our mission goes beyond the brief. Every project helps structure a professional cultural ecosystem and build a legacy of visual quality.
The Founders of Artopia
Francine Abada
General Manager – Marketing & Artistic Policy
Francine Abada is a French-Cameroonian graphic designer and cultural entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Artopia. A graduate with a Master’s degree in Plastic Expression from the École des Beaux-Arts du Mans, her work is defined by a minimalist and refined approach, rooted in formal simplicity and the pursuit of emotional intensity. Her methodology aims to build a vision where art, design, and visual storytelling contribute to institutional development.
She notably served as the Artistic Director for the SAVE retrospective of artist Salifou Lindou Fouanta and designed the visual identity for the project Once Upon a Time, the Birth of Staat Kamerun (1884–1914), supported by doual'art, the National Museum of Cameroon, and the Goethe-Institut Kamerun, as well as the visuals for the Contact(s) Zone exhibition at the National Museum of Cameroon. She has also contributed to several editorial projects, including Soul Makossa Man…, dedicated to the Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, and various Goethe-Découverte catalogues.
Yves Xavier Ndounda Ndongo
General Manager – Development & Strategy
Yves Xavier Ndounda Ndongo is a Cameroonian writer, curator, and cultural entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Artopia. He is the author of "contextuology of art," an analytical method that examines artworks through their historical, social, and symbolic contexts. His curatorial and editorial work explores the dynamics of the contemporary African art scene, using an analytical approach aimed at building sustainable artistic ecosystems.
His research notably culminated in the SAVE retrospective of artist Salifou Lindou Fouanta, which he curated. He has written and edited several publications, including Salifou Lindou Fouanta, Art From Africa: Its Place in Our Lives and Time, and Mosaïque, as well as various Goethe-Découverte catalogues, all featured on the Artopia Sarl website.
Our Team
Suzy Watre
Project Management & Coordination
Germain Tchuente
Financial Management & Strategy
Stéphane Rousseau
Technology Manager
Our Aproach
Identity
Every creation begins with a deep understanding of its narrative. The goal is not to decorate, but to build a visual architecture capable of embodying the essence of an institution.
Form
Our approach is based on the precision of the line and the clarity of the message. By removing the unnecessary, we give the project a visual strength that remains relevant over the years.
Anchoring
Designing with meaning requires an immersion into local realities. Our practice integrates local challenges to ensure each project is relevant to its environment.