As galleries play a significant role in Amsterdam Art Week 2023, we are excited to have a gallerist as one of our ambassadors who will provide a valuable perspective from the galleries, offering insights into the art environment in Amsterdam. Meet Joyce Bidouzo – a creative consultant for international fashion and luxury lifestyle brands, who followed his passion for art. He is the founder of ILÉ, a state-of-the-art online gallery that focuses on showcasing the works of trans-disciplinary artists who are at the forefront of the contemporary art movement known as the ‘Nouvelle Vague’ in Benin, West Africa, and its global diaspora.
Joyce is constantly immersed in the world of art. Art holds a significant place in his life, in his own words, art helps to reveal the stratums of our shared histories, traditions and cultures. In its purest form, Art helps him alleviate borders and dissolve differences, allowing a reconnection with our inherent humanity. He admires the works of West African artists such as Zhora Opoku, Amoako Boafo, Kwesi Botchway and Wole Lagunju.
Joyce’s deep passion for the arts and profound knowledge of the Amsterdam art scene makes him a highly valuable ambassador. When asked about what he admires most about the Amsterdam art environment he answered enthusiastically:
“Fluid, dynamic, incredibly diverse and radical are the few words that immediately come to mind. There’s a progressiveness and a risk-taking approach that sets Amsterdam apart from bigger international contenders like Paris or London […] I truly admire what local art institutions and particularly museums like Stedelijk are doing by actively opening their collections to artists from the diaspora. For me, in terms of contemporary African art, Amsterdam is an Eldorado.”
Joyce is very excited to participate in the Amsterdam Art Week and is mostly looking forward to discovering artists (both emerging and established). He points out that during Amsterdam Art Week the atmosphere in the city is always electric. Joyce will also visit as many galleries as he can. Ron Mandos, AKINCI, m. simons and Hama Gallery are always a must-visit for him. Apart from that, his time will be centered around interacting with close friends, strengthening ties with network associates, perhaps establishing new alliances, but above all, having a great deal of fun in the process.
A fun fact about Joyce is that he has an obsession for movies. He loves movies from all eras and genres. He also admires many contemporary directors like Spike Lee, Steven Soderbergh, Steve Mc Queen. During Amsterdam Art Week, don’t miss the New Harvest program, a film showcase on the big screen featuring the finest new moving image works from Amsterdam’s art scene. Keep an eye out for Joyce, as you might run into him while exploring the programme!
Check out our website agenda if you want to know more about Joyce’s favourite galleries and their programme.
