Jacobleu is over 20 years old as a visual artist and cultural promoter in Côte d’Ivoire. Let’s discover this impressive course.
More than 20 years experiences as visual artist and cultural promoter
Knight of the Ivorian Order of Cultural Merit in 2007 and Côte d’Ivoire’s Cinema and Visual Arts Excellence Award in 2016 for his different actions in favor of promoting the arts, Jacobleu is a visual artist and promoter of the arts in Côte d’Ivoire Ivory. With over 20 years of experience in the field, he is a figurehead in the sector.
He was not intended to be a painter or to embrace a career as a cultural promoter, but his talent and passion triumphed over everyone.
Indeed, since his childhood, drawing and art were vectors of his development. He was distinguished from classmates by his creativity. However, his awareness goes back to when he was in 4th grade. His art teacher organized a class trip to the National Institute of Arts (INA became INSAAC). He discovered a place of expressions and learning about fine arts and understood that this area could open doors for him. At that moment, he made the decision to give himself the means to make his job and this, whatever the possible reticence of his entourage.
For his family and his teachers, his place was in trades that would bring him financial security as a doctor, lawyer or judge. To their surprise, he turned to the art industry.
A double cap
Sometimes Art Promoter
Graduate of Fine Arts, Jacobleu began his career by regularly participating in exhibitions and professional meetings around the world. Thus, for more than 20 years, he travels Europe, the Americas and Africa particularly Côte d’Ivoire with his works. He also helped set up several art centers and cultural promotion structures before opening of Lebasquiat Art Gallery, a contemporary art gallery. He notably chaired the Cultural Commission, Digital Arts and Development Activities of the 8th Jeux de la francophonie. It was then that he realized the under-representation of African artists in the field of digital art. He saw an opportunity and launched the International Meetings of Digital Arts of Abidjan (RIANA) in partnership with Enghiens-les-Bains (France), a UNESCO creative city. At the end of 2017, he received the Prix Pride Dan 2017 from the Tonkpi Region (western Côte d’Ivoire) where he is from for actively contributing to the organization of the Tonkpi Nihidaley Festival for the Promotion of Dan Culture. and allied cultures.
Read more :
- Jacobleu : Le saviez-vous ?
- Jacobleu : Portrait d’un artiste visuel et promoteur culturel ivoirien
- Exposition Migrations #1
- RIANA 2019
- Jacobleu : Did you known ?
- Les couleurs de la paix de Jacobleu
Sometimes Visuel Artist
At the artistic level, Jacobleu is an artist who is aware of his environment and society. His various works are never far from some topical issues. He stands up as a voice bearer, a wise observer. He has already spoken on themes such as the valorization of the Ivorian culture through masks, dances, symbols … He also challenges society with themes such as migration or peace and reconciliation.
Regarding his technique, he has a very contemporary style and often speaks in acrylic. He also does photography and is very interested in the exploitation of digital in artistic expression. He tries to reinvent the codes in the same veins as 3 artists whom he admires very much. They are Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon. Men who have marked, each, their time by their daring.
Jacobleu is daring. He is of this category of positive person who gives himself the means of his ambition.
His next exhibition is entitled “The Colors of Peace”. It will take place from 15 to 23 May 2019 at Hotel Pullman in Abidjan. Its purpose is to challenge the issue of social cohesion and reconciliation. Its targets are development partners, national and international institutions, economic operators, civil society and the media. An exhibition that is undeniably part of the continuity of his work and his activities as a committed cultural promoter.
Thus, by the strength of work and time, Jacobleu is positioned as an indispensable figure of the Ivorian artistic scene with his double cap as visual artist and cultural entrepreneur.