Namibian artist at the Abidjan Green Art Biennale

Inke Stoldt 

The first Abidjan Green Arts Biennale, an art event in the Banco National Park in the capital of Côte d'Ivoire, focused on transient works of art by international artists in the midst of a rainforest.  

"Deciphering the forest instead of clearing it. The idea is to create, while sensitizing to the protection of the environment," said the artistic director of the event, the famous Ivorian sculptor Jems Koko Bi. From 25 November to 10 December 2019 he invited artists from all over the world to Côte d'Ivoire, including Namibian-born Imke Rust.  

The multimedia artist has lived and worked in Germany since 2014 and is known for her commitment to the protection of nature with her natural art. She has produced three works directly on site.  The Parc National du Banco is an approximately 3500 hectare, strictly protected nature park in the middle of the Meteropole Abidjan.  

At the AGA Biennale, the artists were only allowed to use materials they found on site or natural, biodegradable materials in small quantities. They were not allowed to cut down trees or destroy the natural environment in any way.  

The initiator Jems Koko Bi called the resulting works a poetic enrichment for the forest.