Yacouba Konaté

Yacouba Konaté (born 4 May 1953) is an Ivorian curator, writer and art critic. He is a professor of philosophy at the Université de Cocody in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Career He is a member of l'Académie des Arts, des Sciences et des Cultures d'Afrique et des Diasporas in Abidjan and he leads the Africa Office of the Jean Paul Blachère's Foundation.

In 1998, he was Fulbright Professor at Stanford University, between 2004 and 2008, he taught at l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales in France. In 2007, he taught at the Laval University in Canada and in 2007, he was a Carter Fellow at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

In 2008, he became the president of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA).

He is expert on the cultural development of "European Union".

In 2000, he served as a Director of the National Institute of Arts and Culture and as a Director of the Cabinet of Ministers of Culture and Francophony. He is also head of the l'Institut national supérieur des Arts et de l'action culturelle of Abidjan.

He was one of the curators of individual exhibitions of 6th Dak'Art (7 May – 7 June 2004 ) with Ivo Mesquita and Hans Ulrich Obrist. In 2006, he was the artistic director of the Dakar Biennale. Milano, 2010. A group exhibition of artists included: Mounir Fatmi, Cameron Platter, Soly Cissé, Barthélémy Toguo, Abdoulaye Konaté, Joel Andrianomearisoa, Peter Eastman, Nandipha Mntambo, Moridja Kitenge Banza, Stuart Bird, Athi Patra Ruga, Vitshios Mwilambwe Bondo "AfriqueEurope: Reves croises" (14/11- 10/12/2007), Ateliers des Tanneurs, Brussels, Belgium. A group exhibition of artists included: El Anatsui, Nu Barreto, El Berry Bickle and Luis Basto, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Dilomprizulike, Mustapha Dime, EL Loko, Tapfuma Gutsa, Annie Haloba, Jak Katarikawe, Jems Robert Koko Bi, Abdoulaye Konate, Bill Kouelany, Siriki Ky, Ndary Lo, Toyin Loye, Churchill Madikida, Joel Mpah Dooh, Francis Mampuya, IngridMwangiRobertHutter, Serigne Niang, Babacar Niang, Samuel Olou, Freddy Tsimba, and Guy Bertrand Wouété. Abidjan International Exhibition of Visual Arts (May 2001) Willie Bester Exhibition in Brussels (April 2001) 2001 Foire Internationale Africaine Des Arts Plastiques (FIAAP) "Afrique á jour" Exhibition in Lille (September 2000) "South Meets West" Exhibition in Accra and Bern (December 1999 and June 2000) "Africa Africa: Vibrant New Art from a Dynamic Continent" (11/9–24 November 1998) curated by Rajae Benchemsi, Rob Burnet, Yacouba Konaté, Toshio Shimizu, Jean-Hubert Martin, Tobu Museum of Art, Tokyo

Publications Yacouba Konaté, Alpha Blondy: reggae et société en Afrique noire, CEDA, 1987. Yacouba Konaté, Christian Lattier, Le sculpteur aux mains nues, Edition Sépia, 1993. Yacouba Konaté, La Biennale de Dakar. Pour une esthétique de la création africaine contemporaine. Tête à tête avec Adorno, L'Harmattan, Paris, 2009, Yacouba Konatè, Sacrifices dans la ville. Le citadin chez le devin, Editions Douga, Abidjan 1990.