Hélénon’s synthesis of painting and assemblage began in his 'Expressions-Bidonville (Shantytown-Expressions)' around the time of his move to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 1970. Artworks like 'Pour mémoire' feature paintings on wood that “made use of paint and adhesives to amalgamate locally recuperated detritus and other elements. Hélénon saw shantytowns … as exemplifying African and diasporic life as characterized by migration, bricolage, and a fierce will to survive in the face of racism, poverty, and oppression.”.

Directly from the Artist