Diptych Homme et Femme

Titled respectively “Femme, que cuisines-tu??” (“Woman, what are you cooking?”) and “Homme, que bois-tu??” (“Man, what are you drinking?”), the pair forms a diptych—a dialogue between the feminine and masculine principles, rendered with Bouabré’s trademark simplicity, symbolism, and humanist reflection.

On the left, the vibrant cooking pot surrounded by fire evokes creation, nourishment, and transformation—symbols of the feminine role as life-giver and sustainer. The colorful palette (yellow, red, green, purple) radiates warmth and energy, suggesting both the literal act of cooking and a metaphorical process of spiritual alchemy or knowledge creation.

On the right, the drawing of a vessel and a cup—outlined delicately and left uncolored—represents the masculine act of consumption or contemplation. The minimalism contrasts with the fullness of the female image, implying a complementarity between doing and receiving, substance and reflection, body and mind.

Bouabré often used such everyday objects—pots, gourds, cups, tools—as metaphors for cosmic balance and moral inquiry. His question format (“What are you cooking? What are you drinking?”) is not accusatory but philosophical, inviting reflection on human intention, responsibility, and reciprocity.

Together, these two works encapsulate Bouabré’s worldview: that wisdom resides in ordinary life, that art and philosophy emerge from the simplest gestures, and that dialogue—between genders, cultures, and ideas—is essential to humanity’s harmony.

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2 original drawings on card board (vinyl sleeves), hand signed by Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, 21 x 29 cm (8.3 x 11.4 inches), 1988