PeopleAbidjan

Ouattara Watts (painter)

Ouattara Watts

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Born in Abidjan in 1957, he met Jean-Michel Basquiat in Paris and moved to New York. He is one of Côte d'Ivoire's most internationally established living painters.

His work brings together West African symbols, African spiritual beliefs and New York abstraction, a pioneer of the 'global African artist'.

CE QUE VOUS VERREZ · What you will see

Large abstract paintings with numbers, symbols, cosmic diagrams and fabric collage, in intense, ritual colours.

POURQUOI · So what

In 2026 his solo show for the first time gathered works on paper he made in Côte d'Ivoire, and the First Lady received him personally, a sign that the state treats international artists as soft power.

SAVOIR-FAIRE · How to use it

His friendship with Basquiat gives everyone a way in. Then ask where the symbols in his paintings come from and let the gallery staff or collectors tell the story. Asking good questions is what insiders do.

Asian and European parallelsLike Zao Wou-Ki for the Chinese-speaking world: famous in a Western art capital, always carrying the worldview of home in his painting.

Where to experience itGalerie Cécile Fakhoury.