WILLIAM BAKAÏMO

William Bakaïmo (born July 4, 1988, in Maroua, Cameroon) is a visual artist whose work examines the human condition in the face of the social, political, and existential tensions of the contemporary world.

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After studying law, he chose to devote himself fully to artistic creation and, in 2015, enrolled at the Institut Supérieur du Sahel (ISS), where he earned a degree in Fine Arts (Painting).

As early as 2012, he distinguished himself by winning second prize in the drawing category at UNIFAC. He took part in several artistic workshops in Buea and Yaoundé and further developed his practice through academic residencies with artist Hako Hankson, as well as regular exchanges in the studios of major figures of the Cameroonian art scene such as Joël Mpah Dooh, Hervé Youmbi, William Kayo, and Hervé Yamguen. These experiences gradually shaped a distinctive artistic approach.

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Based in Douala since 2018, William Bakaïmo has developed a body of work that questions the human condition in a world marked by tension, fear, and the challenges of survival. Moving between figuration and abstraction, he works primarily with painting, Indian ink, and pigments—mediums that allow him great gestural and expressive freedom.

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His practice revolves around the notion of transformation. Shedding—central to his visual language—serves as a metaphor for the human capacity to reinvent oneself, to break free from forms of alienation, and to be reborn. Through hybrid forms and symbols drawn from African imaginaries, he creates figures that are part human, part animal. The lizard, a recurring motif in his compositions, becomes a symbol of resilience, fragility, and adaptability in the face of a changing world.

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William Bakaïmo has participated in numerous group and duo exhibitions in Cameroon and internationally, notably at Galerie Claire Corcia (Paris), AKAA Art Fair (Paris), Abidjan Art Fair, Galerie Le Réservoir (Montpellier), in Vilnius (Lithuania), as well as at Annie Kadji Art Gallery (Douala) and the Institut Français du Cameroun. His work is rooted in a contemporary dynamic that combines political inquiry, symbolic depth, and strong formal presence.