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Sekajugo featured with emerging Ivorian, Tunisian artists
ART | AGENCIES | Internationally celebrated Ugandan artist Collin Sekajugo was one of three artists exhibited by Galerie Farah Fakhri at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakech 2025 in Morocco. Sekajugo featured with emerging Ivorian multidisciplinary artist Chada Gnangoran, and the Tunisian abstract-expressionist Taher Jaoui.
The exhibition was an exploration of Africa’s cultural heritage, Art Premier influences and contemporary practices infused with a Moroccan inspiration.
Each artist contributed with a distinct voice while sharing a deep connection to African history and storytelling.
Their works incorporate a diverse array of materials and techniques, local textiles, bark cloth, acrylics, and tapestries, transforming traditional forms into bold contemporary expressions.
Galerie Farah Fakhri said at the heart of this group exhibition lies a profound connection between the artistic practices of Collin Sekajugo, Chada Gnangoran, and Taher Jaoui.
It said, drawing inspiration from the legacy of Pop artists, Collin Sekajugo, blends recycled newspapers, textiles, and bark cloth into his works. Sekajugo’s work not only distorts the images he reproduces but also deconstructs the composition of the characters themselves. His use of bold colors and patterns reflects both a playful and critical lens on identity and societal norms. In his work, reality and creativity are no longer opposites but serve and enhance one another. His practice explores themes of authenticity, reality, and perception in the contemporary era, where the consumption of content and shifting notions of value are deeply intertwined with everyday life.
Meanwhile, Chada Gnangoran, based in Marseille, channels his Ivorian heritage through multi-disciplinary works that merge traditional tapestries with jute sacks, clay, and organic materials. These textured compositions reflect his cultural background, evoking a sense of resilience and transformation. The tapestries of Chada, handcrafted, reflect his attachment to artisanal craftsmanship – to time that passes in a world where there is no time to waste – seen as a meditative practice and a gesture in opposition to the current uniformity of our society. The human figures in his work willingly blend with animal forms and various patterns. A harmony of shapes and tones emerges in his work throughout his creative process, ultimately presenting pieces full of sensitivity, rich in stories and symbols.
Like Sekajugo, Gnangoran places a personal imprint on his work, exploring themes of selfhood and legacy in History.
Taher Jaoui, brings a vibrant energy to the exhibition with his bold abstract-expressionist paintings. Influenced by African primitive art, graffiti, glitch art, COBRA artistic movement as well as the philosophy and attitude of post-war abstract expressionism. Jaoui’s dynamic use of acrylics on canvas creates layered compositions that balance tradition with the avant-garde.
Together, these artists demonstrate the rich intersections of African cultural heritage and contemporary expression, drawing from traditional techniques and pushing them into new creative territories.
Galerie Farah Fakhri said the dialogue between the artists underscores a collective exploration of heritage and modernity. Their works serve as visual narratives that weave together diverse perspectives, offering audiences a unique lens through which to experience the innovation and vibrancy of African contemporary art.
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GALERIE FARAH FAKHRI is a contemporary African art gallery located in Ivory Coast and dedicated to artists from the African continent and the diaspora. It is dedicated to championing contemporary African art by representing visionary artists from the continent and its diaspora. Through a commitment to diversity, innovation, and dialogue, the gallery curates exhibitions that celebrate the breadth and depth of African artistic traditions in a global context.
