Valérie OKA was born in 1967 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and died on April 8, 2023. She was a key figure in the African contemporary art scene. Oka was honored with many awards such as: the First Prize of the European Union at the Biennale of Dakar, Senegal and the Award of Cultural Excellence from the Government of Ivory Coast. She exhibited for more than 25 years in Africa such as: Abidjan, Senegal, Togo, Nigeria, South Africa, Mali and beyond internationally such as: Paris, London, Brussels, Sweden, Italy and New York. Her works are part of many private collections and in various foundations and museums around the world. In March 2018 she was named among the 30 most influential women of the Ivory Coast, and in January 2019, she received the award of excellence from the government of the Ivory Coast for her international artistic career. In 2019, it represented the Ivory Coast pavilion at the 58th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale.

Chuuuuttt
Viedo-art, 4:40 min, 2014

The conceptual approach:

In her quest between feminism, dissent and sacrifice, the body becomes the vehicle for a rite of protest: it is a stolen temple that demonstrates resistance and self-control. Oka's art takes on different languages, but it constantly remains a form of revolt and struggle for the alienation of African society and for gender, political and environmental rights. Oka herself says that as an African, a woman and an artist, I embody all the stereotypes that Africa carries, proving at the same time the deep conviction to have the right and the duty to be yourself. I consider myself a "gender" spokesperson and experience the perverse and conflicting relationship of impulses and emotions. I researched what might be useful in the connection between the words: "Africa", "woman", "body", "sex", "past", "current", "future", "fear", " trauma" ... can be useful for everyone. My work, which simultaneously uses different media and artistic disciplines, aims to activate a symbolic, philosophical and metaphysical charge.