Thierry Oussou

Referring to his work as ‘social archaeology’, Oussou addresses issues of visibility, memory and authenticity, drawing on his Benin heritage to do so. In 2016, Oussou made a name for himself in the press regarding a performative archaeological excavation, in which he secretly buried sculpted replicas of objects of historical interest, which he then invited students to unearth. The students excavated these deliberately placed objects alongside true finds; enacting Oussou’s wish for a dialogue to be created that explored the legacy of colonialism and the construction of identity within a globalised context.

The artist’s interest in mining the past similarly runs through the more painterly works exhibited in his solo show at Tiwani Contemporary, which featured this work, Adja. This large-scale, gestural piece layers coloured lines and textures on a black background in an expressive graphic style reminiscent of Cy Twombly. While his earlier body of work cleverly raises questions of cultural property and where collective memory resides through a performative archaeological excavation, his large scale drawings function as a repository for his own culture as he strives to capture everyday references – often ubiquitous and barely noticeable – before they disappear.