Armand Boua
Painter | Ivory Coast
Armand Boua's work poignantly explores the human condition, particularly the lives of marginalized children in West Africa.
His distinctive technique involves layering tar and acrylic on recycled materials, then stripping away layers to reveal abstract forms that echo the violence and hardship experienced by these children. His work captures the raw emotion and harsh realities of political struggles in West Africa.
Portrait
Pascal Konan, (1979, Abidjan) is a distinguished painter whose artistic journey began in his early years. Recognizing his innate talent, Konan pursued formal education in the arts at the Lycée d’Enseignement Artistique, progressing to earn his artistic baccalaureate. His academic excellence continued at the National School of Fine Arts in Abidjan, where he graduated at the top of his class with a higher diploma (D.E.S.A.) with honors.
Konan chose to blend his passion for art with a commitment to education, becoming a professor of painting at the Beaux-Arts in Abidjan. His artistic oeuvre is deeply rooted in the vibrant and dynamic scenes of daily African life. Utilizing a unique technique that involves random spots transformed into superimposed shapes and contours, his work possesses a psychedelic quality while maintaining a structured composition. Through his paintings, Konan captures the essence of African urban life, reflecting the emotions stirred by the bustling cities—the crowds, the noises, the cultural amalgamation, and the warmth.
As a figurative painter, Pascal Konan's works often delve into the discourse on "happiness and the human condition."
His canvases, rich in shapes, colors, and expressive depth, utilize mixed techniques such as scraping, water painting, and oil painting. This diverse approach allows him to animate his backgrounds and characters with contrasting light and shadow, capturing the essence of forms and beings.
In an era marked by increasing social divides and the degradation of the human condition, Konan's art serves as a powerful advocate for individual action towards realizing humanism. Through his paintings, he not only celebrates a joyful childhood amidst the urban struggles of Abidjan but also calls for a more humane and compassionate world.
Armand Boua, born in 1978, is a prominent Ivorian artist whose work is deeply rooted in the exploration of the human condition, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of marginalized children in West Africa. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Centre Technique des Arts Appliqués in Abidjan, where he developed his unique artistic approach. Currently residing in Abidjan, Boua draws much of his inspiration from the social and political turbulence that shapes the lives of the vulnerable populations in his country.
Boua’s art is recognized for its textured, abstract qualities. He often employs recycled materials as his canvas, layering them with tar and acrylic paint before scraping away sections to reveal fragmented, ghostly figures. This technique reflects the precarious and often overlooked existence of street children. His compositions capture the chaotic energy of urban life, where different ethnic, cultural, and social elements converge, creating a powerful commentary on both the resilience and the suffering of his subjects.
The turmoil following Ivory Coast’s disputed presidential election in 2010 significantly influenced Boua’s work. The conflict, which led to widespread displacement and the separation of many children from their families, is a recurring theme in his portraits. Boua’s paintings are a raw portrayal of these children’s struggles, serving as both a testament to their pain and a critique of the societal neglect they endure. His method, combining forceful, dynamic strokes with a nuanced depiction of his subjects, results in artwork that is both impactful and evocative.
Internationally, Boua has earned considerable acclaim, with his works being part of the permanent collections at institutions like the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Museum Mohammed VI of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the Montresso Art Foundation. His art has been featured in notable exhibitions, including the 2022 Venice Biennale, the Dakar Biennale in 2010 and 2022, and the 1-54 Marrakesh at the Montresso Art Foundation in 2019. His work also appeared in the "Pangaea II: New Art from Africa and Latin America" exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery in 2015.
Boua’s paintings are also held in several major private collections, including the Saatchi Collection in the United Kingdom, the Franck-Suss Collection in Hong Kong, and the Tiroche-DeLeon Collection in Israel.
Works
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Credentials
2024
- Manawa, Out of Africa Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2023
- Les Invisibles, Montresso Foundation, Marrakech, Morocco
2022
- Focus Armand Boua, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
2021
- Everything’s Alright, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
- Les enfants de Yopougon-Maroc, Montresso Foundation, Marrakech, Morocco
- Les petits Marakas, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2020
- Les Gnambros, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2019
- Yopougon-Adjamé-Liberté, Cécile Fakoury Gallery, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Kouman de Kekechoz, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2018
- Brobrosseurs, Cécile Fakhoury Gallery, Dakar, Senegal
- Dans le Djassa, Lars Kristian Bode, Hamburg, Germany
- Mogo de Poy-City, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2017
- Children of Africa, Create Hub Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Clache-moi, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2016
- Forgotten People, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
- Les ZinZins, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2015
- Jossi à Yopougon, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2014
- Enfants de rue, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2023
- Africa Supernova, Kunsthal Kade-Amersfoort, the Netherlands - Carla and Pieter, Schulting Art Collection
- The Manage, Central Exhibition Hall Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
- ArtGenève, Montresso Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
- L’Art dans la Cité, La Rotonde des Arts, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Animula Vagula Blandula, The Project Space, LIS10 Gallery, Pietrasanta, Italy
2022
- Perceptions, Espace Expressions, CDG Foundation, Rabat, Morocco
- Contemporary Identities of Ivory Coast, BJKD Foundation, Paris, France
- Volta New York, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
- The Dreams of a Story, Ivory Coast Pavilion - Venice Biennale, Italy
- Forging the Mediterranean, Dak’Art’22, Contemporary Art Biennale, Dakar, Senegal
- Once Upon a Time in West Africa, LIS10 Gallery, Pietrasanta, Italy
2021
- Africa on My Mind, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom - New York City, United States
- Africa Staged, LIS10 Gallery, Pietrasanta, Italy
2020
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, United States
2019
- IN-DISCIPLINE #2, Montresso Foundation (Jardin Rouge), Marrakech, Morocco
- INVESTEC Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town, South Africa
- Child Soldiers, Drouot, Paris, France
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, United States
- Kubatana, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Vestfossen, Norway
2018
- Talisman in the Age of Difference, Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- Artistic Surgery for Broken Faces, PiASA Gallery, Paris, France
2017
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, United States
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, Jack Bell Gallery, London, United Kingdom
- VOLTA Art Fair, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, United States
2016
- Art MIAMI, Ethan Cohen Gallery, Miami, United States
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, United States
2015
- FLAUNT, Africa New Wave, New York, United States
- Past Perfect / Future Present, Christie’s, London, United Kingdom
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, United States
- PANGAEA II: New Art from Africa-Latin America, Saatchi Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2014
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom
2013
- Art and Nature, 4th Edition-Katadji, Ivory Coast
2012
- A Look at Abidjan, EIFFAGE, Dakar, Senegal
2010
- 1st Edition of International Plastic Arts Fair, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Dak’Art 10, Biennale of Contemporary African Art, Dakar, Senegal
2007
- Brush of Africa, Stockholm, Sweden
- Festival of Visual Arts, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- École des Beaux-Arts & Centre Technique des Arts Appliqués in Abidjan
- Minneapolis Institute of Art, USA
- Saatchi Gallery, UK
- The Franks-Suss Collection, Hong Kong
- Serge Tiroche DeLeon Collection, Israel
- Montresso Fondation, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Morocco