MOSES MOUS

Moses Mous, born Moussa Issarou in 1995 in Maroua, in the Far North region of Cameroon, is a contemporary painter. The youngest of twelve children, he grew up in an environment where creativity played a central role. At an early age, his father recognized his talent and committed to supporting his artistic path—a formative promise that would shape his trajectory.

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He initially trained in drawing, screen printing, and calligraphy before pursuing studies in French literature and visual arts. Alongside his academic training, he participated in various artistic events and developed collaborations that enriched his practice. This dynamic enabled him to gradually assert his artistic voice and gain recognition on the international scene.

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Moses Mous’s work is rooted in a deeply humanistic vision, oriented toward hope. Through his paintings, he depicts the everyday life of Cameroonian youth while revealing the dignity, strength, and resilience of his people. Coming from a region affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, he offers a sensitive perspective on social realities and lingering trauma, while seeking to challenge stereotypical representations of Cameroon. His work instead affirms vitality and a capacity to project into the future.

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A defining feature of his practice is the use of sgraffito—from the Italian sgraffiare, meaning “to scratch.” Using a razor blade, Moses Mous incises the painted surface, bringing his figures into being through a gesture that is both violent and constructive. This technique evokes scarification as a metaphor for lived hardship, but also as a process of transformation—a way of turning pain into strength. The use of warm colors introduces a tension between intensity and harmony, reflecting a vision in which beauty persists within chaos. His work unfolds as a language of resistance, determination, and hope.

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Moses Mous’s work has been presented in various exhibitions and international contexts. In 2021, he was awarded the “Jeunes Espoirs” prize by Doual’Art. Following a collaboration with TAAG Gallery in the United States in 2022, his work was presented by Janet Rady Fine Art at the London Art Fair in January 2023. That same year, he exhibited at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva as part of The Art of Equality: A Journey to Justice.

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More recently, his work was included in the group exhibition L’art d’être, femmes noires at the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar in December 2025. In February 2026, he presented his first solo exhibition in Europe, Lumières noires, at Tribe Gallery in Geneva. These presentations confirm the growing presence of his work on the international scene, while affirming a practice deeply rooted in contemporary local realities.