About this artwork

Abdou Sidibé was born in Côte d’Ivoire and attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Bingerville. He describes himself as a sculptor and “assembleur,” and is known for his series of puisettes (dippers) made from inner tubes. These dippers are covered with household objects, such as buttons, and also shells and animal horns, even a cell phone. He often includes a small mask or human figure. The small light-colored rectangular object near the base of the dipper appears to be a leather-covered amulet of the sort that may contain a text in Arabic and is generally worn for mystical protection. With the addition of this and other objects, Sidibé has endowed this utilitarian object with qualities usually associated with spiritual power.

He now lives in Burkina Faso and is part of a lively art scene in Ouagadougou. He is represented by François Deneulin of the Deneulin Agency in France and Norway.