LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery is pleased to present ‘Cutting Edge Perspectives’, a collective show by Laetitia Ky, Wanger Ayu, and Marius Dansou, on display until June 24.
Laetitia KY, an Ivorian artist and activist born in 1996, abandoned her studies in Business Administration to pursue art and fashion. She sculpts her hair into intricate compositions, drawing inspiration from traditional African hairstyles. Each sculpture carries a meaningful message, empowering black women and challenging beauty standards.
Wanger Ayu (1986) is a Nigerian visual artist and fashion designer known for her unique blend of Tiv a’nger fabric with various artistic techniques. After a successful start in fashion, she turned to art as a form of therapy and self-expression. She is currently based in Lagos, Nigeria, and draws inspiration from the city and its vibrant culture.
Marius Dansou, a Beninese artist born in 1984, creates imaginative hairstyles using flexible concrete iron. Inspired by women’s braids in his surroundings, he combines traditional hairstyling techniques with observations of street fashion and everyday objects. His sculptures pay homage to the rich hairstyling history of West Africa and are influenced by the works of J.D. Okhai Ojeikere. Dansou’s creations feature innovative shapes and lines, resembling real hair sculptures.
The artists collaborate in this exhibition, using ordinary materials to explore the representation of diverse black women. Through their artistic vision, they challenge traditions and initiate a dialogue between cultures. ‘Cutting Edge Perspectives’ emphasizes interconnections, questioning societal norms and offering a modern, critical perspective on the artistic portrayal of black women. By subverting ordinary materials, the artists provoke curiosity and raise awareness of our attitudes and actions.
LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery is a vehicle for aesthetics, debates, and transformations, promoting artists and new techniques and meeting with an aesthetic public of all ages and cultures, constituting the vibrating megalopolis that is Abidjan.
Source: LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery.
