IN SHORT

Trained at the most prestigious Parisian design school, Franco-Ivorian artist Valérie Oka could have been satisfied with a comfortable career in advertising or the prestige of exhibiting her works in top galleries. But that was not enough for her. She wanted to eagerly share her learnings with her compatriots, becoming a prominent figure on the cultural scene of Côte d'Ivoire and even having the ear of top officials, who seek her insight.