Ousmane Bâ was born and raised in Strasbourg, France, where he earned his Bachelor in Fine Arts from l’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués. Now based in Tokyo, Japan, his practice oscillates between drawing, painting, and collage.
Bâ’s vibrant and almost cinematic compositions are created using Sumi ink and Japanese natural pigments, revealing the artist’s long-time interest in the art of calligraphy as well as in the Japanese techniques of printmaking, including the « Moku Hanga » and « Shodo ».
Ousmane Bâ’s exploration of movements and corporal gestures has resulted in a as much powerful as meditative body of works. Through the act of collage, Ousmane gives life to a different kind of imagery, bringing us into his universe filled with serenity, peace and harmony.
Highly inspired by the Japanese culture since he was a child, Ousmane moved to Tokyo, Japan, in 2017. The surrounding environment of Japan, artistic exchanges and discoveries allowed him to develop and enrich his style and method, as well as his understanding of the art world. His works have been showcased in several Japanese galleries, such as Studio Gross, FUKAGAWA GARAGE and Trunk Hotel. Since, he notably participated in the Dakar Biennale (2022) and 1-54 New York (2023).
Ousmane’s exile in Japan was also driven by his will to discover a new culture that is neither Western nor African. Paradoxically, it allowed him to connect deeply with his African - Senegalese and Guinean – roots.
His works notably blend references to his Fulani background, a nomadic and traditionally pastoral community in West-Africa, bringing another important spiritual dimension to his practice.
Thus, Ousmane Bâ’s paintings emerge from a cultural combination between artistic traditions and aesthetic languages of Western, Japanese, and West African art. He cites as sources of inspiration the South-Korean, Japan-based, artist Lee Ufan, the Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow, as well as Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others.
Bâ mostly draws inspiration from diverse images found on Pinterest, and cites fashion as a major influence to his art. Having a background in graphic design, his creative process also often includes digital drawing on Illustrator, before starting to paint.
In his will to continue to learn more about global artistic practices, Ousmane will be participating in February to the 2023_2014 Edition of Black Rock Senegal, the well-known artist residency established by Nigerian American artist Kehinde Wiley in 2019.