Pascale Marthine Tayou, (b. Cameroon, 1966) Collage, drawing, metal frame 144 x 195cm (56.7 x 76.

Pascale Marthine Tayou, (b. Cameroon, 1966) Collage, drawing, metal frame 144 x 195cm (56.7 x 76.8in)

Framed

Pascale Marthine Tayou was born in 1966 in Yaoundé, Cameroon and is one of the leading contemporary artists from the continent of Africa. Originally a lawyer, he began his career as an artist in the 1990`s, giving himself a new double name in the female form Pascale (e) Marthin (e). He left Cameroon to set up a base in Belgium but has described himself as a traveler. This nomadic aspect of his life deeply informs the work he produces, which often explores thoughts connected to human environment, travel, identity and shared meaning across cultures.

Tayou`s work spans a wide range of media, including drawing, sculpture, installation, video and collage and the materials he uses are varied; from found objects such as plastic bags and dolls to things with geographical and cultural references, like fruits, masks, feathers from Africa and pins, pearls and Belgian lace.

Home Sweet Home is a superb and relatively rare example of a standalone mixed media work as opposed to the much larger installation pieces that the artist is well known for. Tayou, albeit with tongue in cheek, once described himself as a Belgium artist because he lives and works in that country; here he explores notions of "home” and identity through his childlike drawing style which in itself evokes the emotional importance of home for both children and adults. He constructs a map of the complex organic bonds that make up a metaphorical home that can encompass different continents and which he considers to be "everywhere” as humanity is now privy to so many cultural influences that in reality we no longer come from a single place. The materials used in the piece include, chalk, pearls and pins.

Biography:

Tayou`s work has been featured in numerous leading International exhibitions, such as the Biennials of Istanbul (2003), Lyon (2005), Venice (2005 and 2009) and Dak`Art, Senegal (1996). His work has been championed by prominent curators such as Nicolas Bourriaud, who in 2002 gave him a solo show at the Palais du Tokyo and selected him for the Altermodern Tate Triennial in 2009, and Okwui Enwezor, who included him in Documenta 11 (2002).

Exhibited:

Collection Privée, Pavillon Paul-Delouvrier, Parc de la Villette, Paris (France), 2012

Publications:

Collection Privée, cat. exp. Parc de la Villette, ed. Acte Sud – Parc de la Villette, 2012, p. 20. Click here to view Catalogue