Tayou, Pascale Marthine

Pascale Marthine Tayou was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in 1967. After periods spent in Stockholm and Paris, he now lives and works in Ghent. Tayou belongs to the group of African artists who redefine post-colonial culture and blend experiences of their birthplace with those of Europe. Tayou’s work is extremely varied and consists of drawings, sculptures, installations, videos and performances. Whenever he deals with themes like the origin of his family, his nomadic existence between his African roots and his life in Cameroon, his work has the feel of a diary. He also raises questions regarding cultural and national identity, and doesn’t even leave out more existential issues such as AIDS or the complexity of urban life. Tayou’s profound works examine the permeability of boundaries: he seeks a definition of the self, investigating its character through personal history and social contacts while at the same time examining aspects of economics and migration.

Although still a young artist, Pascal Marthine Tayou already enjoys an international reputation. His work has been seen at Documenta X and the most recent Venice Biennial as well as at important exhibitions in Ghent and Paris. Rendez-vous at Marta Herford is Tayou’s first major exhibition in Germany. (www.martaherford.de, 2010-02-08)