Once underestimated, contemporary African art now occupies a prominent place on the international art scene, thanks to the evolving and innovative approach of the continent’s artists. Joana Choumali, a contemporary artist from Ivory Coast, is one of a cohort of exceptional artists who are contributing to the enhancement of this ancestral art by infusing it with a touch of contemporaneity to adapt it to this modern and creative era.
Born in 1974 in Abidjan, Joana Choumali is a visual artist who began her career as an art director in an advertising agency, before devoting herself to her passion for photography. Although her artistic path as a photographer began late, her interest in the medium dates back to her childhood, marked by a family portrait session taken by a local studio photographer.
Influenced by this experience and by traditional black and white photography of the 20th century, Joana Choumali officially embraced photography as a form of artistic expression. Her documentary work is inspired by African realities and diverse cultures around the world. In her practice, she explores and analyzes different perspectives to nourish a vision of the world that is both rich and diverse.
The contemporary artist’s early works are distinguished by her interest in documenting the various movements in Africa that interweave tradition and modernity. Her photographic series, such as “Aube“, reflect this desire to archive memories and weave links between past and present, offering a moment of magical transition through the various cities she explores, including Abidjan, Accra, Casablanca and Dakar. For example, her series “Haabre: The Last Generation” illustrates this fusion of tradition and contemporaneity by addressing the gradual disappearance of the ancestral practice of facial scarification among the Burkinabe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The attack on Grand-Bassam gave his art a new creative perspective. Indeed, the Ivorian artist visited the site, once a haven of peace associated with joyful memories of childhood and family reunions, now marked by tragedy and trauma. Examining the images taken in situ with her iPhone, the Ivorian artist had the idea of embroidering them to establish a deeper tactile link with these images and pay tribute to the victims. Although she first experimented with embroidery on photography in Ifitry, Morocco, in 2015, it was following this event that she adopted it as an alternative image-making process and as a form of therapy to overcome trauma. This innovative approach earned her the prestigious 2019 Pictet Prize for her “Ça va aller” series, focusing on the theme of Hope.
Today, Joana Choumali offers conceptual photography and mixed techniques that add further emotional depth to her works. In 2016, the Ivorian artist formally integrated textiles into her photographic practice, embroidering directly onto the captured images in an additional image-making process carried out with slow, dreamy gestures. Her recent works are distinguished by their distinctive accessories, embellished by her choice of textiles and her sensitivity to color.
She continues her photographic explorations of the world around her, and continues to incorporate fabric into her new creations. The result remains as captivating as ever, with delicate works imbued with reverie, where the real and the imaginary mingle in a process of deep interiorization. Her “Translation” and “Albahian” series illustrate this immersive utopian universe.
Joana Choumali has had the opportunity to present her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. Solo exhibitions have included prestigious venues such as Gallery 1957 in Ghana, Beurs Van Berlage in the Netherlands, 50 Golborne Gallery in the UK, and Sperone Westwater in the USA. In Ivory Coast, his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Civilization, the Donwahi Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Rotonde des Arts and the Palace of Culture. Her “Adorn” series, which explores how contemporary African women reinterpret Western beauty standards, was featured in the Ivory Coast pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.
Her work has also been included in renowned group exhibitions, including at the Royal Academy of Arts in the UK, the Al Maaden Museum of Contemporary African Art in Morocco, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art in South Africa, and the Museum of Natural History in France. The contemporary artist has also taken part in an international touring exhibition, visiting venues such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK, the Daikanyama Hillside Forum in Japan, the Mouravieff-Apostol House & Museum in Russia, as well as destinations in Zurich, Shanghai, Dublin, Monaco and Milan.
Her international reputation continued with her participation in major events such as the Photoquai Biennial at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, the Troppenmuseum in Amsterdam, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Capetown, the Blachère Foundation, the Bamako International Photography Biennial, and the Lagos Photo Festival. In recognition of her talent, Joana Choumali won the POPCAP14 International Photography Award in 2014 and the Emerging Photographer LensCulture Award. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Magnum Emergency Grant Foundation and the Fourthwall Books Award in South Africa, and published her book “HAABRE” in Johannesburg the same year.
Joana Choumali is a talented contemporary artist whose work appears internationally in numerous solo and group exhibitions, testifying to the recognition of her talent and the impact of her art on the contemporary art world. The Ivorian artist continues to inspire and amaze audiences around the world, affirming her place as one of the most promising contemporary African artists of her generation.