Ouattara Watts

Private Collection, London

“My vision is not bound to a country or a continent; it extends beyond borders and all that can be found on a map. While I use identifiable pictorial elements to be better understood, this project is nevertheless about something much wider. I am painting the Cosmos.” -Ouattara Watts 

The brilliant colours, enigmatic symbols, and a dynamic fusion of cultures and artistic influence that defines the Ivorian American artist Ouattara Watts, are evident in the present lot. Utilising a visual language of quantitative, geographic, musical, and scientific forms, Watts alchemises his African origins with his experiences of the Western world whilst simultaneously transcending both. A testament to his talent as an image maker, Watts can reconcile seemingly disparate motifs within a remarkably harmonious composition.  

Watts' artistic journey is a narrative of transcultural exploration and artistic hybridity. Born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 1957, he later moved to Paris to study at Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Following his encounter with Jean-Michel Basquiat, Watts was persuaded by the artist to relocate to New York City in the 1980s. Immersing himself in the East Village art scene, he has since become a pioneer within the contemporary art market. To date, Ouattara Watts has exhibited at the Whitney Biennial, the National Museum of African Art, the Smithsonian Institute, the Venice Biennale, and MoMA, among others.