Brushstrokes That Remember: Pélagie Gbaguidi’s Art as Living Archive

In the world of contemporary art, Pélagie Gbaguidi stands out for transforming the invisible scars of colonial history into vivid, unforgettable imagery. Her paintings and drawings don’t just depict trauma—they unravel it, tracing the psychological echoes of the past into the present. Gbaguidi’s acclaimed series “Code Noir” borrows its name from the notorious French decree that governed slavery, using layered marks and haunting figures to confront the ongoing legacy of that violence. Her approach is rooted in the tradition of the griot, the West African storyteller who preserves and transmits collective memory. Through her art, Gbaguidi becomes both witness and archivist, turning personal and ancestral pain into a shared visual language. Each exhibition—whether at Documenta, the Berlin Biennale, or her upcoming solo show—invites viewers to see history not as distant, but as something alive and shaping us still. Art, in Gbaguidi’s hands, becomes a bridge: connecting generations, transforming wounds, and inviting us all to remember what’s too often forgotten. #PélagieGbaguidi #ContemporaryArt #AfricanArt #Culture