KITÈNE YAH
Cluster Photography & Print Exhibitor | 2025
Kitène Koné Yah (b.2000) is an Ivorian visual artist whose work delves into the depths of human experience, transformation, and memory. Beginning her journey in 2018, she uses photography as a primary medium for self-expression, capturing portraits and abstract compositions that explore themes of identity, and connection. Driven by nostalgia and empathy, she creates images that invite viewers to explore their emotions and inner worlds.
Having a background in consumer psychology and marketing, she approaches photography with a deep understanding of human perception and emotional connections. In 2021, Kitène participated in a group exhibition for the UNDP-CI for the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence, showcasing “Mgbo Gnamga”, a series depicting the inner turmoil faced by women enduring domestic psychological violence. This experience deepened her commitment to using art as a platform for empathy and healing.
Influenced by Neo-Surrealism, Emotional Realism, and Symbolism, her work transforms everyday moments into meditative reflections, blending elements of reality with dreamlike abstraction.
Today, her artistic journey continues to evolve, combining contemporary portraiture, symbolic abstraction, and meditative practice, offering viewers a cathartic journey through their emotions and memories.
“My visual practice focuses on portraiture and symbolic abstraction, photographing individuals in their environments to embody abstract ideas.
Incorporating meditation into my practice allows me to capture abstract forms that reflect my sensory engagement with the present moment. My work is both personal and universal, and an invitation to pause, reflect, and connect.
Photography has become my means of introspection and healing, an ongoing evolution that I hope will inspire others to find solace, self-awareness, and connection. My work reflects my transformation, and I hope that it sparks the same in others.”
