Ndayé Kouagou — Heaven’s truth at Collezione Maramotti

Heaven’s truth, the first solo exhibition in Italy by French artist Ndayé Kouagou (b.1992), is on view at Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia. Open until 26 July 2026, the show examines language through a mix of performance, video and sculptural elements that alternate between media codes and theatrical gestures.

The presentation gathers recent works alongside a site-specific project, combining a three-part video, freestanding elements and wall pieces. Kouagou borrows from the conventions of the photo-novel: the narrative appears sleek and linear but deliberately foregrounds questions instead of neat answers.

• Opening performance: "Please don’t be", co-created with Saliber Lee Williams, engages the audience in a call-and-response that reveals how phrases shift meaning through interaction.
• Key videos: "Here&Elsewhere" (2024) uses the guise of a news report to address contemporary crisis; "A coin is a coin" (2022) probes the power and value of words.
• Text and signage: large-format words and slogans operate as poetic devices and critical nodes, turning written language into sculptural content.

The exhibition’s stance is interrogative: Kouagou unsettles ingrained assumptions and invites visitors to reflect rather than to receive conclusions. Statements such as "Don’t look at me expecting an answer" emphasize the artist’s intent to provoke choices and awareness rather than supply solutions.

Why visit: this show is recommended for those curious about how visual and verbal language are mobilized as critical tools in contemporary art, blending wit, performative presence and striking visual form.