ABOUDIA (1983) Do not enter, 2012 Acrylic, collage and oil pastel on canvas Signed with the dog's head in the centre left and dated on the right 75 x 75 cm Provenance: private collection, Brussels (acquired directly from the artist) Aboudia Abdoulaye DIARRASSOUBA (real name), a leading Ivorian artist, made his name during the sad conflict in Côte d'Ivoire in 2011 between supporters of Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara. The civil war that engulfed the population left a deep impression on him, and he expresses this through his paintings. His works are widely distributed and critically acclaimed, both for their testimonial value and for their artistic quality. Aboudia, who now works between Abidjan and Brooklyn, draws on traditional African art and the modern graffiti of Abidjan. He is inspired by the drawings and expressions of children in the capital's poor neighbourhoods. Aboudia's work reflects the same codes of raw, sincere and authentic art. He is often compared to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cy Twombly and Jean Dubuffet for the expressiveness and power of his painting.