Interview with : Cécile Fakhoury, gallery owner in Abidjan

You've known Abidjan for several years. How has the city changed?

Cécile Fakhoury : In 2012, the city was at a standstill on several levels. The atmosphere was still pretty heavy, and the infrastructure wasn't as well developed as it is today. But in the space of five years, we've seen the town really take off: the economy has picked up, and there are a huge number of companies, shops and restaurants setting up shop.

What impact has this boom had on the cultural scene?

C.F. Abidjan has all the makings of a fine cultural capital, but is not yet one. However, there is a noticeable public will to do so. People are also finding it easier to get to cultural venues. The city lends itself to this: traffic has improved a great deal with the construction of numerous roads and bridges, and it's a lot smoother than it was even three years ago. As a result, visitors to the gallery are often just passing through, taking advantage of a free afternoon between business meetings. The gallery is one of the few places you can visit in Abidjan.

How is the Abidjan art market developing?

C.F. I've observed the desire of Ivorian artists to return to work in Côte d'Ivoire, as well as the desire of people from the diaspora - many of whom left to study abroad - to return to their country of origin. These returnees are part of a culturally curious public, because they have seen that there is a contemporary art market all over the world and are wondering whether there is an art market here. And they're discovering that there is a scene and artists who are known locally. For ten years, there was no art market. But with the structures that have opened up, artists have seen new production possibilities - particularly for visual artists who do installations. The field of creation and production is once again open.

Even if contemporary art is still a complicated medium to get to know and we still have a long way to go to reach out to the public, more and more people are coming to see what we do. As for the pure and simple market, it has evolved, but the gallery is still supported by foreign collectors, particularly European ones.

Are you also seeing the emergence of Ivorian collectors?

C.F. : The case of Nigeria, which has a local art market with local collectors, is still special. That's what I'd like to succeed in doing here. One of the strongest motivations for my gallery is to be present on the African continent and to participate in this emerging African contemporary market. Africans themselves need to support African artists.

http://cecilefakhoury.com/