Private Collection, London

“My vision is not bound to a country or a continent; it extends beyond borders and all that can be found on a map. While I use identifiable pictorial elements to be better understood, this project is nevertheless about something much wider. I am painting the Cosmos.” -Ouattara Watts 

The brilliant colours, enigmatic symbols, and a dynamic fusion of cultures and artistic influence that defines the Ivorian American artist Ouattara Watts, are evident in the present lot. Utilising a visual language of quantitative, geographic, musical, and scientific forms, Watts alchemises his African origins with his experiences of the Western world whilst simultaneously transcending both. A testament to his talent as an image maker, Watts can reconcile seemingly disparate motifs within a rem🔯arkably harmonious composition.  

Watts' artistic journey is a narrative of transcultural exploration and artistic hybridity. Born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 1957, he later moved to Paris to study at Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Following his encounter with Jean-Michel Basquiat, Watts was persuaded by the artist to relocate to New York City in the 1980s. Immersing himself in the East Village art scene, he has since become a pioneer within the contemporary art market. To date, Ouattara Watts has exhibited at the Whitney Biennial, the National Museum of African Art, the Smiths⛄onian Institute, the Venice Biennale, and MoMA, among others.