The Mother-Daughter Duo of LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery Are Champions of Contemporary African Art

Gazelle Guirandou inherited her love for art from her mother, Simone Guirandou-N’Diaye: an art historian and the co-founder of LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. “I got the [art] virus from my mom,” Gazelle told Artsy, recalling how early trips to galleries and museums were a staple of family vacations. This passion was nurtured in a home that doubled as the earliest iteration of the gallery, beginning in 1985 with small garden exhibitions. “The funny part is that when we were younger when it started at home, everybody was involved already,” she said. “We’ve always been around art at home with my parents.”

In 1991, Simone founded Galerie Art Plurial in Abidjan, an early stronghold for the West African art scene. There, she exhibited work from artists around the world, which was documented in her 2011 book, Five Continents at the Galerie Arts Pluriels. Then, in 2015, Gazelle left her job in the banking industry to return to the art world, founding LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery with her mother. Today, the gallery is firmly devoted to promoting contemporary African art on the global stage.

“We are promoting artists…through the gallery, but we have to give those artists the opportunity to be known outside, to be appreciated outside the continent, to be discovered outside the continent,” said Gazelle. “My goal is to present different African artists from different parts of the African continent.”

Motivated by this mission, LouiSimone Guirandou has become renowned for its dedication to regional artists—nurturing the emerging contemporary art scene across the continent. Gazelle’s dedication to showcasing a broad spectrum of talent is evident in the gallery’s ambitious exhibition schedule. “This year, I’ll have more solo shows than I ever had before,” Gazelle said. Her 2024 programming features solo shows from artists based in countries including Mali, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Senegal.

The gallery kicked off its programming this year with Mauritanian artist Oumar Ball, hosting his first show in Côte d’Ivoire, “Synthèse,” on view until March 9th. Still, the gallery’s attention is not just limited to solo presentations: Every summer, the gallery hosts a group exhibition series dedicated to promising African artists, entitled “Découverte.” For its fifth edition in August 2023, the gallery exhibited work from five emerging talents: Malian artist Dramane Toloba, French artist Stéphane Carrer, Nigerian visual artist Prosper Aluu, Burkinabè painter Christophe Sawadogo, and Senegalese artist Khéraba Traoré.

Gazelle and Simone’s approach goes beyond mere exhibition planning; it involves a meticulous process of artist selection and collaboration. The gallery views itself as a partner to its artists, designed to help nurture and grow their prominence in the art world. Inspired by the garden exhibition hosted by her parents, Gazelle believes the gallerist must take an active and responsible role in the artist’s career.

“It’s very important for us to visit those artists and to visit the studios, because sometimes when it’s just photos, you’d say, ‘Oh, I like this. I like what he’s doing,’” Gazelle said. “But then I feel like it’s always very important to get in touch, in a closer relationship with the artists, and to agree together on how we want to promote this art.”

This hands-on model is especially important as the gallery introduces its program to international audiences. Since 2020, the gallery has participated in the 1-54 Art Fair in London, New York, and Paris. There, Gazelle recalls the works from Malian artist Ange Dakouo and Ivorian painter Sess Essoh appealed to the collectors in Paris, where they nearly sold out.

“I am taking the gallery outside [Côte d’Ivoire]. I’m making it international,” Gazelle said. “I want to show my artists in the Ivory Coast, but then I want them to travel.”

Back in Abidjan, the gallery continues to invest in the local art scene, fostering a supportive environment for artists through various initiatives. These include artist residencies and collaborations with NGOs, aiming to promote the next generation of talent and ensure the sustainability of the art ecosystem. Most recently, the gallery worked with the human rights organization Association Imagine Le Monde to help promote art education in the area. Together, the gallery and NGO organized studio visits and workshops hosted by artists for the children. Looking ahead, Gazelle intends to work with more NGOs and local organizations to launch art education programs for local kids.

Simone—now 93 years old—remains an integral part of the gallery’s daily routine and its ethos. Gazelle often reflects on her mother’s influence and seeks her insights on new artistic discoveries. “Even when I discover an artist, I like for her to give me her feelings about it,” Gazelle said.