Halidou

Ivory Coast

"Halidou has become a modern psychologist, and exorcises with colour the evils of the world around him."

MEET

Halidou

Born on February 12, 1988, in Abengourou, Ivory Coast, Halidou is a contemporary African artist whose expressive practice draws from the raw energy of street art, the iconography of pop art, and the critical edge of social commentary. He lives and works in Bingerville, a suburb of Abidjan, where his work reflects the vibrant contradictions of urban life.

Trained at CRAMA (Conservatoire Régional des Arts et Métiers d'Abengourou) and CTAA (Centre Technique des Arts Appliqués de Bingerville), Halidou has developed a distinctive style based on stencil and spray paint, layered with handwritten script and graffiti-inspired textures. His dynamic compositions often integrate recycled materials, including clay, metal, and plastic, forging a unique relationship between medium, message, and form.

Halidou’s canvases, whether on walls or found objects, address urgent themes such as social inequality, consumerism, and collective identity. His use of vibrant colours and layered silhouettes serves both as a denunciation of societal ills and a call for hope and accountability. In doing so, he positions himself as a kind of modern urban healer — an artist who uses colour and composition to exorcise the anxieties of contemporary Africa.

Blending African urban culture, upcycled art, and a powerful visual language, Halidou’s work stands as a beacon of creativity, activism, and aesthetic experimentation in West African contemporary art.

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