Pascale Marthine Tayou

Galleria Continua, Sam Gimgnano

Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2008

Nicolas Bourriaud, Pier Luigi Tazzi, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Le Grand Sorcier de L'Utopie, Gli Ori, 2009

Sam Gimignano, Pascale Martine Jungle Fever, 09 Feburary 2008-03 March 2008,

' “Chalk E” (2008) is an artwork made up of multicoloured chalks amongst which white dominates, lined up in horizontal rows with the exception of several which overlay each other diagonally, so as to compose a sort of tapestry. The pattern incidentally recalls certain tapestries by Alighiero Boetti, including the colour range. Without doubt a composition style inspired by tradition, but also a piece of art made up of objects which usually serve to draw one. Chalk permits ephemeral marking, it is also an educational tool.'

-Nicolas Bourriaud, Pier Luigi Tazzi, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Le Grand Sorcier de L'Utopie, Gli Ori, 2009, p. 10

Pascale Marthine Tayou combines multi-coloured chalk in a carefully orchestrated pattern that blurs the line between drawing and sculpture whilst inviting viewers to contemplate themes of identity, culture, and human connection. In these complex productions, Tayou transforms a seemingly humble material into a multi-layered and thematically dense oeuvre that transcends the limitations of chalk as a material.

Tayou’s oeuvre centres around his deeply held belief that art and life are inextricably linked. He actively recycles and reuses objects from his life transforming his works into self-referential meditations on the artistic process. His work also seeks to reconcile his cultural origins in West Africa with the European culture of his adopted home in Belgium, manifesting itself in an exploration of personal cultural identity in an increasingly globalised world.

Born in Cameroon in 1966, Pascale Marthine Tayou splits his time between Cameroon and Belgium. Educated as a lawyer, this self-taught artist rose to international recognition in 1996, just two years after debuting in Yaoundé in 1994. Among his numerous accomplishments, Tayou has exhibited in some of the world's most renowned galleries and museums, including the Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Venice Biennale. His impressive roster of exhibitions includes solo shows at prestigious institutions like the Serpentine Galleries in London and the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles.