Bill Kouélany

 

Bill Kouélany (born 31 October 1965 in Brazzaville) be a Congolese artist, writer den set designer. Insyd 2007, she dey participate insyd documenta 12 insyd Kassel plus a multimedia art installation. She live insyd Brazzaville, de capital of de Republic of the Congo.

Life and career

As a teenager, B. Kouélany (as she prefers to be called) live through de wars den violence insyd ein native Congo. Years later de imprints of those early experiences can be found insyd ein writings and art.

Writer

A French speaker, ein early writings include plays such as Cafard, cafarde (Cockroach, cockroach), which she present insyd Paris (2003), den Peut-être (Perhaps) (2007), wey she write plus colleague Jean-Paul Delore. Her written pieces reveal evidence of influence by de notable Congolese poet den novelist Tchicaya U Tam’si, who be remembered as "a tormented den highly sensitive writer who [B. Kouélany] also feature insyd ein first canvases."

According to Chavelet, many of ein writings have never been published (as of 2016).

Painter

B. Kouélany's paintings reveal de artist's self-taught skills as well as their autobiographical elements, making ein art sought out among international audiences insyd Africa den Europe. Since 2007, ein work has been distributed internationally by de Peter Hermann Gallery insyd Berlin den de RDV Gallery insyd Nantes, France.

Mentor

Insyd 2012, B. Kouélany founded de contemporary art center den workshop, Les Ateliers Sahm insyd Brazzaville, becoming its artistic director. De multidisciplinary center supports contemporary art insyd Congo wey she devote to supporting young artists, not only from ein country but de remainder of de African continent as well. According to de Prince Claus Fund, de creation of Les Ateliers Sahm "be perhaps one of ein greatest achievements."

She continue to work creatively. Insyd 2019, she take part insyd de exhibition Prête-moi ton rêve (Lend me your dream) insyd Morocco, wey feature oda painters from African den was scheduled (at the time) to visit multiple countries.

Awards

• 2006: Prix de la Francophonie (France)
• 2006: Montalvo Arts Center Prize (USA)
• 2018: Officer of Arts and Letters, awarded by the French Ministry of Culture.
• 2019: Prince Claus Prize in the Netherlands.