Galerie Olivier Waltman
Ange-Arthur Koua, Jérôme Lagarrigue, Gastineau Massamba
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"Le rythme. Choc vibratoire de l'être"
Jérôme Lagarrigue, Here I am, Huile sur toile, 65 x 65 cm, Courtesy Galerie Olivier Waltman.
This exhibition, inspired by Léopold Sédar Senghor’s idea that rhythm, like a vibratory shock, seizes us at the root of our being, brings together the works of three African or Afro-descendant artists: Ange-Arthur Koua, Gastineau Massamba and Jérôme Lagarrigue.
Ange-Arthur Koua (Ivory Coast) focuses on textiles: he cuts, glues, sews, discolors, and paints denim to create tapestries and works on paper. His work is centered on humanity, particularly the relationships people have with their environment, with others, and with their life experiences. The Akan people of Ivory Coast believe in the existence of the soul (Wawô) and its immortality: it is sometimes forbidden to wear the clothes of a deceased person because they believe that the Wawô of the deceased remains within the garment. The artist, therefore, uses the clothing of multiple individuals, embedding their stories and experiences into his works to preserve their memory.
Jérôme Lagarrigue (Brooklyn, New York) creates works that question deep issues not only in contemporary art but also in American society, particularly regarding the place it assigns to the African American community. The artist builds a gallery of portraits, mostly of unknown individuals, as a taxonomy of the human species: his work is as much about observing and characterizing the people around him as it is about emphasizing their place and role in society.
Finally, works by Gastineau Massamba (Republic of Congo) explore African realities, particularly those of the Congolese people. He paints figures fleeing the violence of their surroundings in search of better living conditions. Using acrylic, charcoal, and pastel on black paper and canvas, he portrays these figures in a highly contrasted manner, making their cries and suffering visible.
Group show of Ange-Arthur Koua, Jérôme Lagarrigue and Gastineau Massamba
From May 13th to June 21st, 2025
The gallery
Galerie Olivier Waltman was created in 2006 and been representing a group of contemporary artists from different regions of the world, both emerging and established. Active in different media (painting, photography, design, video, drawing and installation), they are exhibited in its two Paris galleries (Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Le Marais).
The gallery also participates in numerous international contemporary art fairs and has developed a publishing activity with the publication of exhibition catalogs and artist monographs.
The gallery is a member of the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art. Olivier Waltman is also board member of the Paris Gallery Weekend and les Amis de la Maison Européenne de la Photographie (M.E.P.), Paris.
Gallery artists
Fabien Chalon, Manon Pellan, Fabien Yvon, Philippe Calandre, François Ronsiaux, Dayron Gonzalez, Gastineau Massamba, Stevens Dossou-Yovo, Aleix Plademunt, Xavier Escribà, Julien Graizely, Tali Amitai-Tabib, Claire Fanjul, Jean-Pierre Attal, Mykolas Sauka, Jérôme Lagarrigue, Cedric Arnold, Chloé Tiravy, Assaf Shoshan, Linda Tuloup, Richard Butler, Gyula Zarand, Alain le Boucher, Jérôme Borel, Rune Guneriussen, Cristina Escobar, AnaÏs Prouzet, Michal Mraz, Joseph Dadoune, François Bard & Nicole Tran Ba Vang, Jonathan Huxley, Julien-Arnaud Corongiu, Silvere Jarrosson, Toma Jankowski, Jorge Enrique
