Hyacinthe Ouattara

HYACINTHE OUATTARA WAS BORN IN 1981 IN BURKINA FASO. HE LIVES AND WORKS IN PARIS, FRANCE.

A self-taught visual artist, Hyacinthe Ouattara first represented the human body in a dreamlike, ghostly and childlike way before penetrating its entrails and focusing his work on the anatomy of cellular tissues through ‘human cartographies’. Through the exploration of matter, Ouattara studies the interactions between individuals and questions the place of human beings in the universe.

A multidisciplinary artist, Hyacinthe Ouattara acts as a messenger of the intangible. His art conveys the sensitive vibrations of the universe. The mediums are multiple and arise as the free expression of the creative energy flowing within him.

In his work, on paper as well as on canvas or textiles, the gesture predominates. His works are born of spontaneity, like a trance in which the artist lets himself be guided and transcribes what he has felt. In his work, on paper, on canvas or fabric, the gesture predominates. His artworks are born of spontaneity, like a trance in which the artist lets himself be guided to transcribe what he felt.

Matter, texture and colour are of great importance in his paintings. His drawings are spontaneous and gestural, challenging the human being. His installations play with suspensions, questioning balance and instability. They embody a reflection on memory and, through the use of textiles, on an organic aspect. The fabric also allows him to question the ambivalence between appearance and disappearance, representation and intimacy, and identity in a general way. His sculptures are made of twisted and knotted textiles that take up this obsession with the organic and question the notion of connection.

In 2022, Hyacinthe Ouattara's work was presented at the Dakar Biennal and the Kinshasa Biennal. It has also been exhibited in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the United Kingdom, Burkina Faso and the United States.