OBOU GBAIS

Obou Gbais, born in Guiglo and raised in Abidjan, is an Ivorian artist whose work explores the themes of his present, his identity and the tradition of the Ivorian community, precisely the Dan. He completed his art studies at the Beaux Arts d'Abidjan in 2019 and has since lived between Abidjan and Berlin.

 

Recurring themes in Obou's work are the human condition. It features characters with Dan masks, marked facial expressions that are both funny and often provocative, it creates a kind of poetry by addressing certain social facts. His approach is a process of reappropriation of his own culture and personal history which allows him to question the evolution of man in society. Also to determine the place of the mask which was yesterday an important element for the stability and well-being of its community.

 

His background :

Obou has presented his work in different places and at various events.

These included events such as the Scope Art Show in Miami, exhibitions in Switzerland, France and New York. In addition to these international exhibitions, Obou also presented his work in Abidjan during his solo exhibition "Man Dan" at the LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery. He has exhibited in Paris with the 193 Gallery "Babi est deux", in Dakar during the Biennale Off at Loman Art Gallery and his exhibition "Le Bleu d'Obou" at the Hoop Galerie. In 2022, he also presented his works at the Vytautas Kasiulis Museum of Art in Vilnius.

 

In 2023, Obou participated in the group exhibition "Ambivalent" at Not A Gallery in Berlin. In addition he was selected to participate in the "Look Closer" exhibition at the Rietberg Museum, where he presents a Dan mask sculpture made from the museum's photographic archives. 

In 2024, he presented two solo exhibitions, "Neo Dan" at Guirandou Gallery in Abidjan and “The garden of Obou” at Hoop Galerie Paris.