ABU DHABI ART: MANARAT AL SAADIYAT

  • STAND M24

    NASREDDINE BENNACER

    ANGE DAKOUO

    ERNEST DÜKÜ
  • For its first participation in Abu Dhabi Art, AFIKARIS proposes a project reuniting three artists — Nasreddine Bennacer, Ange Dakouo, and Ernest Dükü — whose practices reflect on the universal history of humankind and project visions of a shared, collective future. Their works speak of connections rather than borders, of symbols that recur across cultures, and of the forces, mythological, spiritual, scientific, that bind humanity together.
  • NASREDDINE BENNACER

    NASREDDINE BENNACER

    NASREDDINE BENNACER WAS BORN IN 1967 IN GUELMA, ALGERIA. HE LIVES AND WORKS IN PARIS.

     

    His aesthetic explorations question the concepts of culture, civilization and identity. Through a variety of media (including sculpture, painting on plexiglas, installation art), he has previously examined power dynamics, blending sensitivity and irony to deflate contemporary ideologies and to critique the nonsensical rationality of the world.

     

    In his current work, strongly influenced by his new technical approach, Nasreddine Bennacer eludes obvious statements, preferring a pared-down lyricism. His works on japan paper, between abstraction and figuration, come from the meeting of media and technique, embracing the unexpected, going beyond the artist’s endeavor, allowing memories and glimpses to surface.

     

    Nasreddine Bennacer’s work has been exhibited in institutions in France – including the Palais de Tokyo – and in Luxembourg; as well as during international fairs in Dubai, Miami, Moscow, London, Istanbul and Paris.

    • Nasreddine Bennacer. Algerian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Gouache on Japanese paper. Black and White. Between abstraction and figuration. Hybridity of techniques. Quest for identity. Art contemporain africain. Work balances abstraction and figuration, blending hybrid techniques in a quest for identity.
      Nasreddine Bennacer, Les Jardins Suspendus, 2025
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    • Nasreddine Bennacer. Algerian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Gouache on Japanese paper. Black and White. Between abstraction and figuration. Hybridity of techniques. Quest for identity. Art contemporain africain. Work balances abstraction and figuration, blending hybrid techniques in a quest for identity.
      Nasreddine Bennacer, Les Jardins Suspendus, 2025
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    • Nasreddine Bennacer. Algerian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Gouache on Japanese paper. Black and White. Between abstraction and figuration. Hybridity of techniques. Quest for identity. Art contemporain africain. Work balances abstraction and figuration, blending hybrid techniques in a quest for identity.
      Nasreddine Bennacer, Les Jardins Suspendus, 2025
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  • ANGE DAKOUO
     

    ANGE DAKOUO

    ANGE DAKOUO WAS BORN IN 1990 IN IVORY COAST. HE LIVES AND WORKS IN BAMAKO, MALI. 
     
    A graduate of the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia in Bamako, Dakouo is a multidisciplinary artist who skillfully merges tradition with modernity. Under the mentorship of Abdoulaye Konaté and inspired by El Anatsui, Dakouo's work delves into the subtleties of color, constantly pushing the boundaries of his artistic expression.
     
    His creations, both visually striking and thought-provoking, address global inequalities and the pressing need for a more just society. Often resembling tapestries, his pieces blend traditional artisanal techniques with contemporary conceptual frameworks.
     
    Drawing inspiration from the Donso hunters, iconic figures in Malian culture, Dakouo reimagines their protective amulets, known as gris-gris, in his art. He incorporates newspaper, a nod to his father who worked as a printer, and thread to construct these works, forming a unique visual language that symbolizes resilience in the face of life's challenges.
     
    His art has been exhibited both in Mali and internationally at renowned events such as the Congo Biennial and the 15th documenta in Kassel in 2022. Dakouo's work is also part of several institutional collections, including the Fondation H in Madagascar, the Société Ivoirienne de Banque, and the Fondation Blachère in France and Senegal.
    • Ange Dakouo. Malian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Wall tapestries. Traditional artisanal techniques. Contemporary conceptual frameworks. Malian culture. Hybridity of techniques. Resilience. Global inequalities. Textile Artworks. Craftsmanship.
      Ange Dakouo, Convergence #1, 2024
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    • Ange Dakouo. Malian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Wall tapestries. Traditional artisanal techniques. Contemporary conceptual frameworks. Malian culture. Hybridity of techniques. Resilience. Global inequalities. Textile Artworks. Craftsmanship.
      Ange Dakouo, Impulsion collective, 2024
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    • Ange Dakouo. Malian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Wall tapestries. Traditional artisanal techniques. Contemporary conceptual frameworks. Malian culture. Hybridity of techniques. Resilience. Global inequalities. Textile Artworks. Craftsmanship.
      Ange Dakouo, Convergence #4, 2024
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    • Ange Dakouo. Malian Artist. Contemporary African Art in Paris. AFIKARIS. Wall tapestries. Traditional artisanal techniques. Contemporary conceptual frameworks. Malian culture. Hybridity of techniques. Resilience. Global inequalities. Textile Artworks. Craftsmanship.
      Ange Dakouo, Convergence #2, 2024
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  • ERNEST DÜKÜ

    ERNEST DÜKÜ

    ERNEST DÜKÜ WAS BORN IN 1958 IN BOUAKÉ, IVORY COAST. HE LIVES AND WORKS BETWEEN ABIDJAN AND PARIS.
     
    Trained as an interior architect, Ernest Dükü graduated from the École des Beaux-Arts inAbidjan (1982) and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (1986). He then pursued a DEA in Aesthetics and Art Sciences at the University of Paris 1 (1990) before obtaining his DPLG architecture degree from the École d'Architecture de Paris La Défense (1991).
     
    A visual artist and painter, Ernest Dükü approaches his work as a patchwork of universal narratives. Drawing on a wide range of symbolic references- Ivorian, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Asian, Caribbean, Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and many others-he creates rhythmic and balanced compositions that invite reflection and introspection. His work explores the interactions between the visible and the invisible, the sacred, art, and science, while also addressing socio-political dimensions, particularly around religious syncretism, encouraging a move beyond sectarian conflicts.
     
    Through painting, sculpture, and drawing, Ernest Dükü offers a multidisciplinary approach, opening new pathways to understanding the complexity of the world and the profound connections that unite cultures and knowledge.
     
    His work has been presented in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world-in Europe, Asia, the United States, Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. He has participated in major biennials and exhibitions, notably Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Paris Noir exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in 2025 and the Venice Biennale for the Ivory Coast Pavilion in 2019.
    • Ernest Dükü, Equation 3 moutons @ Silence on developpe, 2015
      Ernest Dükü, Equation 3 moutons @ Silence on developpe, 2015
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    • Ernest Dükü, Le cri FAAAWALE d'ANANZE @ 2.5.6 corpus FA COSMIQUE, 2018
      Ernest Dükü, Le cri FAAAWALE d'ANANZE @ 2.5.6 corpus FA COSMIQUE, 2018
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    • Ernest Dükü, Equation Amaamonlagokatiolozran @ Je vous salue, 2015
      Ernest Dükü, Equation Amaamonlagokatiolozran @ Je vous salue, 2015
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    • Ernest Dükü, Equation 5 moutons @ Silence on developpe, 2015
      Ernest Dükü, Equation 5 moutons @ Silence on developpe, 2015
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    • Ernest Dükü, KSS.DJL.MLN.H.Y.F. 2027 Eeh Dieu @ Equation 007, 2025
      Ernest Dükü, KSS.DJL.MLN.H.Y.F. 2027 Eeh Dieu @ Equation 007, 2025
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  • Abu Dhabi Art
    AFIKARIS, booth M24
    Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    DATES AND TIMES

    PRESS & VIP PUBLIC OPENING HOURS
    9.30 AM – 7 PM | Monday, 17 November
    9 AM – 9 PM | Tuesday, 18 November

    PUBLIC OPENING HOURS
    9 AM – 9 PM | Wednesday 19 to Sunday 23 November
     
    For more information or any inquiries, please contact:
    info@afikaris.com