Frédéric Bruly Bouabré

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Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, also known as Cheik Nadro (b. c. 1923), is an Ivorian artist.

Bouabré was born in Zéprégüé, and was among the first Ivorians to be educated by the French colonial government. On March 11, 1948, he received a vision, which directly influenced much of his later work. Bouabré created many of his hundreds of small drawings while working as a clerk in various government offices. These drawings depict many different subjects, mostly drawn from local folklore; some also describe his own visions. All the drawings are part of a larger cycle, titled World Knowledge. Bouabré also created a 448-letter, universal alphabet, which he used to transcribe the oral tradition of his people. the Bétés.

Today, Bouabré lives in Abidjan; many of his drawings are in the collection of Jean Pigozzi.

[edit] Reference

• Bio from the National Museum of African Art