Armand Boua

Born in 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Armand Boua lives and works in his hometown. Following his training at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Centre Technique des Arts Appliqués in Abidjan, Boua chose painting as the primary medium for his artistic experimentation.

Through various solo and group exhibitions, Boua constantly interrogates the medium of painting and its traditional "canons." Notably, in 2015, the artist participated in the group exhibition Pangaea II: New Art from Africa and Latin America at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

While maintaining a technical rigor reminiscent of classical painting—characterized by geometric compositions, light-centric color palettes, and the application of successive layers of material—Armand Boua breaks free from the constraints of pure figuration. He literally deconstructs his images by brushing, scratching, and rubbing the surface. This process offers the viewer scenes on the edge of abstraction that nonetheless retain a palpable vitality, fueled by the effervescence of the streets and the inhabitants who inspire him. Exploring these themes, he participated in the 9th Dak'Art Biennale in Senegal in 2010, returning to Dakar in 2012 for the group exhibition Un regard sur Abidjan at the Eiffage Foundation.