Carl-Edouard Keïta

Biography

Carl-Edouard Keïta has developed a singular artistic universe, blending constructivist and cubist inspirations, African primitive arts and jazz influences. Through the precise strokes of his pencil, he documents the transformations of our globalized society, using a refined geometric composition. His simple, meticulously assembled forms testify to a perfect mastery of lines, curves and the interplay of light and shadow. This approach, nourished by a dialogue between different cultural references, resonates with Paul Gilroy's notion of the “Black Atlantic”. The artist is thus part of a network of cultural exchanges and cross-fertilization, where influences circulate between continents and are constantly reinvented. Keïta's works are distinguished by their compositional rigor and narrative dimension. The fragmentation of figures into geometric elements acts as a metaphor for the deconstruction of the subjects he tackles, oscillating between the visible and the invisible. Drawing also on the creative effervescence of Parisian cabarets in the 1920s, where black artists made their mark on history through their audacity and inventiveness, Keïta explores the dialogue between tradition and modernity, between African heritages and European influences. Her work questions cultural circulation and the richness of artistic hybridization.