Ange Arthur Koua was born in 1989 in Abobo, part of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and graduated from the National School of Fine Arts of Abidjan in 2015. As a student, he felt confined by colour and painting alone. The search for freedom in the use of materials thus led him to his now signature mixed media aesthetic works combining fabrics and painting. His artworks explore the idea that lived experience takes place in two worlds. His work is inspired by the belief, common in Côte d'Ivoire, that the souls of the deceased live on in their clothing. In his works, Koua addresses issues such as exploitation, injustice, freedom and the collective search for forms of just and peaceful coexistence.
His works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions in Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Germany and France. In addition to his artistic work, Koua has been involved for years in educational and social projects in Africa and Europe, where he teaches schoolchildren and students or migrants about the importance of art in our society and what it can achieve.