BoConcept Abidjan Presents, "Art Meets Design Before the Holidays"

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST – the exhibition “Art meets Design” will launch at the Danish furniture store BoConcept this month. It features work by internationally renowned artist, Ibn Cheikh Sallah Diebkilé with fellow artists Georges Yao and Jean-Claude Assoukou. Danish silverware designer Georg Jensen will also be in view, accompanied by BoConcept furniture.

**La Lutte, 2023, 165cm x 165cm, Japanese pigment on canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

**Spectateur des Evenements, 2023, 165cm x 165cm, Acrylic on Canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

The unique concept of “Art meets Design” was developed in 2016 when the BoConcept franchisee in Africa, Mrs. Charlotte Obidairo opened its first store in Africa. “Many customers had difficulty visioning how the Scandinavian furniture designs would accompany arts, sculptures, and colours of African works that they had already been installed in their homes”. “I wanted to demonstrate the unique complementarity between the styles” explains Mrs. Obidairo, and continues, “The customer reactions after our first exhibition have been extremely positive, the experience of seeing art and design in a furnished living room brings the concept to life.”

**La Pipe de Lattier, 2023, 165cm x 165cm, Mixed Media on Canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

After the first exhibition, we continued to organize these events in all our stores across Africa. We have made it a point of honour to collaborate with incredible African artists represented by our partner, “Nomadic Art Gallery.”

When Mr. Ibn Cheikh Sallah Diebkilé was invited to participate, he immediately accepted. “I’m fascinated by the concept. It makes a world of difference to see my works exhibited in a living room rather than in the traditional environment of a gallery” says Mr. Ibn Cheikh Sallah Diebkilé and continues “I like to travel. I am inspired by cultures, environment, and people. I was recently invited to exhibit in Japan. I was intrigued by the minimalist lifestyle – very similar to the Scandinavian style from BoConcept. My works really comes to life here.

**Le Corps, L’Ame et L’Esprit, 2023, 165cm x 165cm, Acrylic and Oil on Canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

**La Renaisance 1/1, 2023, 140cm x 140cm, Mixed Media on Canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

The exhibition includes 10 works by Mr. Sallah Diebkilé and 6 works by other artists: Georges Yao and Jean-Claude Assoukou. The works of Mr. Assoukou has been exhibited for the past 14 years and bears witness to the incredible talent (new and old) of Ivory Coast. Artwork adds colour, personality, and individuality to many BoConcept studios. BoConcept Abidjan is the only official supplier of the popular BoConcept brand in Ivory Coast. Created in Denmark in 1952, BoConcept today is a brand style of high-end living. The brand has more than 300 stores in more than 65 countries on all continents. BoConcept opened its first flagship store at Marcory zone 4 in Abidjan in 2020.

**Effet Mirror 2/2, 2023, 100cm x 100cm each, Acrylic and Oil on Canvas**
Image courtesy of BoConcept

BoConcept’s collections are vast and covers interior furniture and outdoor, from beds, desks and sofas to lightings and carpets with the finishing touch handcrafted accessories. Contemporary furniture is designed by the best furniture designers like Karim Rashid, Bjarke Ingels, Morten Georgsen, Henrik Pedersen and Nendo.

Since 2016, Nomadic Art Gallery has been on a mission to provide African art and artists on the continent and in diaspora a strong voice and visibility in Africa and beyond, pioneering what NAG refers to as “the Afrobeat of Contemporary Art”. NAG has its main gallery in Lagos, Nigeria, but has organized exhibitions in major African cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Nairobi.