Exhibition on view from 29 August to 18 October 2025
Opening in the presence of the artist: 28 August 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Text by Claire Raffenne, art historian
Inevitably marked by the political events that characterized Côte d'Ivoire during her childhood, Klervie Mouho, now 25 years old, invites us to see the world through the kaleidoscopic prism of her gaze. Imbued with the gravity of what she has seen and repressed, with deep and fertile joy, with trauma and light, it draws us to connect with one another through our similarities.
Klervie Mouho's work speaks of memory, of what fades away and what remains. Unable to put into words the unspeakable or the erased, she takes her oil pastels and sketches what may have emerged from a glance, a rustle of fabric, a violent gesture, or a broken promise. A single detail can then contain and express everything. The precise moment and its hidden meaning. Exalted joy as well as torturous loneliness. The beauty of a moment of grace at the same time as the most tragic events unfold.
Exploring the theme of marriage, Klervie Mouho repeats to herself tirelessly, “If only we had known...”
If only we had known that this wonderful day, this shared joy, would give rise to the drama of infidelity, neglect, or abandonment. Beyond the ideal image, perceiving the complexity and preserving the memory. To retain something before it all disappears.
French-Ivorian artist and designer Klervie Mouho grew up in Abidjan and moved to Angers, France, where she trained at the École des Beaux-Arts where she graduated with distinction in 2021. She then obtained a Master's degree in visual communication from the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2023, which recognized her work by awarding her the ZHdK Fund 2023 for international and intercultural student projects, as well as second place in the 2023 Förderpreis (Encouragement Prize). In 2024, Klervie also joined the ZHdK's “What's next” incubator project.
