The International Biennial of Sculpture of Ouagadougou (BISO) is a renowned artistic event dedicated to contemporary sculpture in Africa, being the first of its kind on the continent. This major event highlights sculptural art in all its diversity, both in Africa and in its diaspora. Following the resounding success of its first three editions, the Biennale returns in 2025 with the evocative theme “Unbearable Frontier (Insoutenable Frontière)”, offering African artists a unique opportunity to create and explore new perspectives. Its primary objective remains to support and promote the talents of African sculptural artists, strengthening their presence on the contemporary art market.
The program of the BISO 2025 Biennial remains faithful to its previous editions. This fourth edition will kick off on October 17, 2025 with an artistic residency lasting from 15 days to 1 month, selected by a specialized committee. The event will culminate in the long-awaited exhibition of works from November 20, 2025, for a period of one month. The theme of this year’s event, “ Unbearable Frontier ”, is inspired by the work of the eminent Ivorian writer and poet Tanella Boni, published in 2022, as evidenced by these evocative extracts from her work:
No matter where you live
And the harshness of the time you tame
There’s no saying that you’ll remain cloistered
At the borders that separate your country
From the vast world of memories
That you want to leaf through
The notion of a border is a vast and complex concept, taking on many shapes and sizes. It’s not just one border, but many. There are geographical, physical, mental, linguistic, relational, amorous and cultural borders, to name but a few… These boundaries delimit the limits between individuals and elements, whether it’s country of birth, skin color, the unequal division of land into parcels, or forbidden spaces. In her collection, Tanella Boni evokes a “boat of the world, taking in water from all sides”, while highlighting the beauty of diversity, fraternity and sisterhood, the multiple identities that build us: “Wrap yourself in the woven loincloth that tells the story of your multicolored life”.
Application form
To submit their candidacy for BISO 2025, interested artists are invited to compile a dossier comprising the following elements:
- A completed application form (available by clicking here)
- A curriculum vitae summarizing the artist’s training, professional background and experience, as well as a history of public and gallery exhibitions (maximum 2 pages, Word or PDF format).
- A short text presenting the artist’s artistic practice and highlighting the coherence of his or her work with the theme of BISO 2025: “Unbearable Frontier” (maximum 2 pages, Word or PDF format).
- A selection of visuals of a maximum of 5 works by the artist (JPEG format), in color, with captions specifying the materials and technique used, as well as the dimensions. The artist may submit existing works or projects for works specifically created for the BISO.
Once you have completed your application, please send it by e-mail before November 30 to the following address: biso.sculpture@gmail.com
Selection criteria
The artist selection committee will pay particular attention to the following criteria during the selection process:
- The relevance of the artist’s proposal to the Biennale 2025 theme, “Unbearable Frontier”, and the diversity of the interpretations presented;
- The aesthetic interest of the artist’s artistic approach;
- The originality and contemporaneity of the proposed works;
- mastery of the artistic techniques used and quality of execution.
These criteria will be carefully examined in order to select the artists who will take part in the Biennial.
For further information, please consult the BISO 2025 participation rules, available by clicking here, or send an e-mail to biso.sculpture@gmail.com.
NB: Applications to participate in the BISO 2025 must be sent before November 30, 2025.
