Essoh Sess

Country of Origin: Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Medium(s):

  • Mixed media painting (acrylic, pastel, gold leaf)

  • Collage (paper, archival materials, crepe paper)

  • Marouflage on canvas

  • Unconventional supports (cardboard, fabric, archival pages)

Key Themes in His Work:

Essoh Sess’s artistic practice is characterized by a fusion of literature, philosophy, and visual arts, exploring themes such as:

  • The reanimation of African historical figures and narratives

  • The critique of socio-political environments and the erosion of societal values

  • The interplay between traditional rites and contemporary urban experiences

  • The use of allegorical characters to represent societal archetypes, such as the “Plaster Men” and “Cardinals”

His compositions often feature layered textures, incorporating various materials to create a dialogue between past and present, challenging viewers to reconsider collective memory and historical narratives.

Notable Exhibitions or Collections His Work Is Part Of:

Solo Exhibitions:

  • “Homage”, Galerie Melbye-Konan, Hamburg, Germany (February–March 2023)

  • “Nyansapo, le silence est d’or”, LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (September–November 2021)

Group Exhibitions:

  • 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Paris, France (2022)

  • ArtX Lagos, Nigeria (2020)

  • “Carte Blanche”, LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (2020)

Collections:

  • Société Générale, Paris, France

  • Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Paris, France

  • Orange Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

  • Various private collections across Europe and Africa

Awards:

  • Second Prize, International Association of Art Critics of Côte d’Ivoire (2017)

Featured collection