Cédric Kouamé (b. 1992, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) is a multimedia artist, DJ and radio host (also known as Gifted Mold Archive). He holds an advanced technician certificate in Communication and was trained at the Klaym project space in Abidjan, where he was mentored by photographers Joana Choumali and Flurina Rothenberger. He has also completed several residencies and workshops with sculptors Kafana Soro and Daniel Bamigbadé. In 2021, Cédric Kouamé participated in the group project A Funeral for Street Culture, curated by Rita Ouédraogo and Metro54 at Framer Framed, Amsterdam.
The humid climate in Côte d'Ivoire causes printed photographs to decay, impacting their role as memory aids. Kouamé, noticing his family's photos deteriorating, began repurposing them. Eventually, his project grew to include damaged photos destined for disposal. Collaborating with sculptor Soro Kafana, who had destroyed hundreds of photos, Kouamé managed to recover about thirty, later connected with the original photographer and his family. His project has evolved to include research and oral histories, exploring the unusual beauty of decayed photos and examining the role of materiality versus subject matter.
