A world without limits.

Frédéric Bruly Bouabré (1923-2014) created a resolutely original body of work, first as a writer and linguist, and then as a designer of a remarkable collection of color compositions. His favorite themes, centered on human understanding, solidarity, and equality, are associated with the culture of the Bété population from which he came and the urban environment of Abidjan. His participation in the memorable Parisian exhibition Magiciens de la terre in 1989 brought him to international attention, even though he was still unknown, even in his native Ivory Coast. Since then, his work has been the subject of group and solo exhibitions around the world. This catalog, published on the occasion of the first retrospective devoted to him in an American museum, offers a precise account of his long and vibrant career as an artist, a detailed biography, and reproductions of more than six hundred drawings. Curator Ugochukwu-Smooth C. Nzewi offers an essay that introduces Bouabré to a new audience while highlighting his importance as one of the most fascinating African artists of the 20th century.