Sign and language in the construction of the Bété alphabet
“Alphabeth Bété” (2006) by Frédéric Bruly Bouabré lies at the core of his practice, centered on the creation of a system of signs aimed at preserving and transmitting Bété culture. In this phase, the artist develops a visual language that merges writing and image into a codified and universal form.
Composed of fifteen elements on cardboard, each measuring 20 x 12.5 cm, the work forms a structured whole in which each unit contributes to the construction of a coherent symbolic system. The signs are organized like pages of a visual archive, where knowledge is translated into graphic form.
Executed with ballpoint pen, pastel, and colored pencils, the work presents a synthesis between immediacy of execution and conceptual complexity. The work reflects the artist’s intention to construct a visual alphabet capable of making cultural memory accessible and shareable.
Frédéric Bruly Bouabré – Alphabeth Bété, 2006
Provenance: Frédéric Bruly Bouabré family collection
Exhibitions: “Frédéric Bruly Bouabré | Cosmogonie”, Riso – Regional Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Palermo (28 April – 11 June)
Archive: work accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the artist’s Estate
