Armand Boua Abidjan, Ivory Coast, b. 1978
The violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election in late 2010 greatly influenced Boua’s work. As the conflict escalated, many children were separated from their families amidst the political turmoil that enveloped Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s sprawling capital. Drawn to densely populated areas in search of work, the children find themselves marginalized and vulnerable to exploitation. Life in the slums means poor sanitation, minimal access to safe drinking water and overcrowded schools. Leaving the slums to escape these conditions means facing a worse predicament, enduring life on the street.
Boua takes the street kids of his hometown as subjects for an ongoing series of powerful portraits. ‘I wanted to show their suffering, their way of life’, he says, ‘so that people are finally aware of this painful reality they pretend not to see’. The artist is noted for his textured compositions, building up layers of acrylic and collage. Each layer is applied and then scrubbed and stripped back, leaving abstract forms that come in and out of focus. Boua achieves a careful balance between his heavy gestures and violent execution and the gentle treatment of his subject matter.
Boua's work is in the permanent collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Exhibitions include ‘Pangaea II: New Art From Africa and Latin America’, Saatchi Gallery, London, 2015.
- Les petits Marrakas 1, 2021
- Les petits Marrakas 2, 2021
- Les petits Marrakas 3, 2021
- Les petits Marrakas 4, 2021
- Les petits Marrakas 5, 2021
- Les petits Marrakas 6, 2021
- Gnambro, 2019
- La gomie, 2019
- Kouman de Kekechoz, 2018
- Les Faroters, 2018
- On' ê calé issi viè pèr, 2017
- Untitled (diptych), 2017
- Les Winzins de Djamtala 1, 2017
- En plein sciensage, 2017
- Gnaga koi, 2017
- Les Microbes de Baby 1, 2017
- Untitled, 2016
- Untitled, 2016
- Untitled, 2016
- Untitled, 2016
- Untitled, 2015
- Rassemblement, 2015
- Vivre dans les rues d'Abidjan, 2014
- Djossi, 2014
- Groupe de jeune n1, 2014
- Untitled, 2014
- Untitled, 2014
Armand Boua
Les Petits Marrakas3 - 19 Nov 2021Press preview: Wednesday 3 November, 11 am - 1 pm. Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a new series of paintings by contemporary artist Armand Boua. This will be...Read moreArmand Boua
Les Gnambros | Online exhibition6 Apr - 1 May 2020Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a new series of paintings by contemporary artist Armand Boua. This will be the artist's seventh solo exhibition with the gallery. The violence...Read moreArmand Boua
Kouman de Kekechoz15 Feb - 1 Mar 2019Private view Thursday 14 February, 6 - 8 pm Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings by contemporary artist Armand Boua. The violence that followed...Read moreRassemblement
Group exhibition20 Jul - 3 Aug 2018Private view: Thursday 19 July, 6 - 8 pm Aboudia Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou Ajarb Bernard Ategwa Armand Boua Goncalo Mabunda Hamidou Maiga Boris Nzebo Bambo SibiyaRead moreArmand Boua
Mogo de Poy-City16 Feb - 2 Mar 2018Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings on canvas by contemporary artist Armand Boua. The violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election in late...Read moreDevil in Disguise
Group exhibition11 - 19 Aug 2017Private view: Thursday 10 August 2017 Aboudia Baatarzorig Batjargal Armand Boua Gonçalo Mabunda Lavar Munroe Boris NzeboRead moreArmand Boua
Clache moi17 Feb - 3 Mar 2017Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings on canvas by contemporary artist Armand Boua. The violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election in late...Read moreLe Penseur
Group exhibition5 - 13 Aug 2016Aboudia Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou Armand Boua Karen Hampton Goncalo Mabunda Hamidou Maiga Gastineau Massamba Boris Nzebo Private view: Thursday 4 August 2016, 6 - 8 pmRead moreArmand Boua
Les Zinzins4 - 18 Mar 2016Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a solo presentation of new works by contemporary artist Armand Boua. The violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election in late 2010...Read moreStudio Lumiere
10 Contemporary Artists Living & Working in Africa19 - 28 Aug 2015Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a group show of work by 10 contemporary artists living and working in Africa. Spanning Abidjan to Timbuktu and Douala to Kinshasa, 'Studio...Read moreArmand Boua
Djossi a Yopougon 4 - 28 Mar 2015Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new large scale paintings by Ivorian contemporary artist Armand Boua. The show coincides with a major survey exhibition entitled...Read moreArmand Boua
Enfants de la Rue21 Mar - 17 Apr 2014Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new works on paper by Ivorian contemporary artist Armand Boua. The violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election...Read more
Booth School of Business, University of Chicago London Campus
2022 to 2023 April 22, 2022'Unapologetically', a new exhibtion at the University of Chicago curated by the Robyns collection. Featuring works from Aboudia, Armand Boua, Baatarzorig Batjargal and Lavar Monroe....Read more59th International Art Exhibition at La Biennale de Venezia
Featuring Aboudia and Armand Boua, 23 April to 27 November 2022 April 22, 2022We are very pleased to annouce Aboudia and Armand Boua's inclusion in Venice Biennale group show held at National Pavillon of the Ivory Coast. The...Read moreMO.CA Centro per le Nuove Culture, Brescia, Italy
Upcoming group exhibition entitled 'Africa Now', 15 November 2019 - 6 January 2020. Includes work by Aboudia and Armand Boua. October 18, 2019 Read moreVestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Oslo, Norway
'Kubatana', survey exhibition of contemporary African art including works by Aboudia, Armand Boua and Goncalo Mabunda. Curated by Kristin Hjellegjerde, show runs 4 May - 22 September 2019. January 30, 2019 Read moreStephen Friedman Gallery, London
Group exhibition entitled 'Talisman in the Age of Difference', curated by Yinka Shonibare, including works by Armand Boua. Show runs 5 June - 21 July 2018. May 30, 2018 Read moreMinneapolis Institute of Art, USA
New acquisition of work by Armand Boua. Currently installed in the African art galleries. September 8, 2017 Read moreFinancial Times
'In with the new | Local and diaspora collectors are creating a lively demand for African art', Melanie Gerlis, 4 March 2017 March 4, 2017 Read moreChristie's Curates, London
Group exhibition entitled 'Past Perfect / Future Present', Christie's King St, London. Including works by Sigmar Polke, Rubens, James Balmforth and Armand Boua, 12 - 16 June 2015. June 3, 2015Christie's Curates Armand Boua Sigmar PolkeRead moreThe New York Times
'Spare Times', Joshua Barone, 15 May 2015 May 15, 2015 Read moreSaatchi Gallery, London, UK
Group exhibition entitled 'Pangaea II: New Art From Africa and Latin America', including works by Aboudia, Armand Boua & Boris Nzebo, 11 March to 15 October 2015. June 6, 2014 Read moreSaatchi Gallery, London, UK
New acquisition of works by Armand Boua. January 8, 2014 Read more
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York
Online Show17 - 23 May 2021Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a works by: Aboudia Ajarb Bernard Ategwa Armand Boua Goncalo Mabunda Jean David Nkot Marc PadeuRead more1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London
8 - 10 Oct 2020Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a group exhibition of new works by Aboudia, Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou, Ajarb Bernard Ategwa, Armand Boua, Gonçalo Mabunda,...Read more1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York
Online Art Fair4 - 10 May 2020Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present an online exhibition of new works by Aboudia, Armand Boua, Gonçalo Mabunda, Jean-David Nkot & Marc Padeu.Read more1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London
3 - 6 Oct 2019Jack Bell Gallery is pleased to present a group presentation of works by: Aboudia Ajarb Bernard Ategwa Armand Boua Jean David Nkot Boris Nzebo Somerset...Read more1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London
15 - 18 Oct 2015Featuring work from Aboudia, Armand Boua, Boris Nzebo and Leonce Raphael AgbodjelouRead more1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London
16 - 19 Oct 2014Read more