Burkina Faso Sculpture Biennale Confronts ‘Unsustainable Borders’ as EU Diplomats Engage
[Suggested image placeholder: A contemporary sculpture made from local materials, displayed at an outdoor exhibition.]
OUAGADOUGOU – The fourth edition of the Ouagadougou International Sculpture Biennale (BISO) is underway, positioning the Burkinabe capital as a central hub for a critical conversation on African unity and division. Running from November 20-24, 2025, the event has gathered sixteen sculptors from across the continent at the Fespaco headquarters, transforming the space into a forum for artistic dialogue under the potent theme “Unsustainable Borders.”
Diplomatic Engagement and Artistic Insight
A significant diplomatic contingent, led by the European Union’s designated ambassador Philippe Bronchain, participated in a guided tour of the exhibition on November 21. The event, a major partner of BISO, provided ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Burkina Faso with a firsthand look at works created during a month-long artistic residency preceding the public opening.
The exhibited sculptures collectively interrogate the myriad boundaries—geographical, social, political, and identitarian—that fragment African societies. Nyaba Léon Ouédraogo, co-promoter of BISO, articulated the event’s core mission, stating that the works advocate for the necessity of unity and sharing. “It’s about making Africa a land of sculpture and having the world look at what is happening on the African continent. This is the symbolism of BISO,” Ouédraogo explained, emphasizing the use of local materials by the artists.
Nyaba Léon Ouédraogo, co-promoteur de la BISO
Cultural Dialogue as a Unifying Force
The diplomats in attendance lauded the initiative, underscoring the role of cultural exchange in fostering international understanding. The Ambassador of Tunisia to Burkina Faso, Mounir Al-Jamni, expressed his admiration, noting the event revealed the “diversity of the artists’ works” and the impressive “talent of African youth.” He encouraged young Africans to dream ambitiously and to showcase their abilities on the global stage.
Mounir Al-Jamni, ambassadeur de la Tunisie au Burkina Faso en veste et l’ambassadeur de l’Union européenne au Burkina Faso, Philippe Bronchain en blanc
One of the standout works, “Pax Africana” by Tunisian sculptor Kaïs Dhifi, was presented as a triptych of engraved and riveted aluminum panels. The artist described his piece as functioning like an “archaeological relic or a future artifact” that plays with “temporal ambiguity to propose a poetic reading of the notions of memory, territory, and resilience.” Dhifi’s work explicitly references a “strategic African space where culture and geopolitics have never ceased to overlap.”
Kaïs Dhifi, sculpteur tunisien
Ouagadougou’s Place on the African Art Map
Through this biennale, Ouagadougou reinforces its status as a vital platform for contemporary African art. The event provides a space for sculptors to confront diverse visions, challenge the limits of creativity, and offer new perspectives to the public. Established in 2019, BISO continues to grow as a significant fixture in Africa’s cultural calendar, demonstrating how art can frame essential discussions about continental identity and future.
Source: https://lefaso.net/spip.php?article142525