Artist #2

Pascale Marthine Tayou was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. After spending several years in Stockholm and Paris, he now lives and works mostly in Belgium. Tayou travels extensively across the globe to showcase his exhibitions. The artist describes himself as an explorer who moves across the world to explore the common issues of the global village.He began studying law but left the university, deciding to teach himself fine art.  Since 1994, the artist has appeared in exhibitions with his many drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations. His works are an attempt to redefine postcolonial culture and to show how his experiences in Europe have closely entwined with themes from his home in Africa.

His first works focused on drawing and sculpture and expressed societal problems such as AIDS. More recently, he has combined popular visual cultures and social realities through improvisational styles to construct installations that depict post-colonial African lifestyles and contemporary social, political and cultural realities across countries. 

His work is directly influenced by the scenes he witnesses in the countries he visits. He collects items from his journeys such as train and airline ticket stubs, restaurant and shop receipts, and labels or wrappings for socks, razors, batteries and plastic bags to be used in his artwork. Tayou's reuse and recycling of these objects reminds us that contemporary life is inevitably linked to economics, migration and politics.

In 2011, Tayou won the “ARKENs kunstpris”. This prize of DKK 100,000  (about €13,400) is one of the largest art prizes in Denmark. It was awarded for his ability to create a compelling and challenging work that relates to pressing issues in the modern, globalized world.

Tayou’s work has appeared in numerous important exhibitions, including: the 52nd Venice Biennale (2009), 4th Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, Matsudai (2009), Afrika Remix, Düsseldorf, London, Paris, Tokyo, Johannesburg (2004–2007), 8th Istanbul Biennale, (2003), Documenta 11, Kassel (2002), 2nd Berlin Biennale (2001), The Short Century, Villa Stuck Munich (2001).