Boris Nzebo

Saatchi Collection, United Kingdom

Jack Bell Gallery, London (acquired in 2013)

Bonhams, London, 18 March 2020, lot 35

Acquired from the above by the present owner

London, Saatchi Gallery, Pangaea: New Art from Africa and Latin America, April - November 2014, p. 137 illustrated in colour

Boris Nzebo’s Madame Trottoir stands as a vibrant emblem of the artist’s singular approach to portraiture and the urban environment. The work immediately captures attention through its intricate layering and bold palette. Nzebo, self-taught and originally from Gabon, draws heavily on his background as a sign painter in Douala, Cameroon, channeling the visual vernacular of African barbershop signage into his fine art practice.

In this piece, Nzebo utilizes a predominantly cool colour scheme—greens, blues, and purples—to evoke the atmosphere of the streets, while contrasting warm peach tones highlight the face, drawing the viewer’s gaze to the subject’s intricate features. Bold accents of yellow and red infuse the hair with life, referencing the elaborate hairstyles central to Nzebo’s oeuvre. The result is a portrait that is at once rooted in individual expression and inseparable from the rhythms of urban life.

Beyond its striking visual qualities, Madame Trottoir reflects Nzebo’s exploration of identity and social context. He often overlays his figures with backgrounds of cityscapes and fractured architectures, alluding to the dynamic, sometimes chaotic relationship between personal identity and collective city culture. The hairstyle—meticulously rendered—serves as both a fashion statement and a metaphor for cultural and social belonging within the urban milieu.

Nzebo’s practice interrogates how individuals assert themselves amidst the pressures and energies of contemporary African cities. Madame Trottoir is thus more than a portrait; it is a layered meditation on visibility, resilience, and the endlessly fascinating interplay between self and society. This work displays not only Nzebo’s technical mastery but also his profound insight into the lived urban experience