ARTE GALLERY

Art of Living & Living with Art

Since 1996, Galerie ARTE has been a landmark venue for contemporary art, design, and fine craftsmanship in Dakar. Located in Mermoz within a collector’s apartment, it offers a unique immersion into African creativity through a warm and intimate setting where paintings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects converse harmoniously.

African Contemporary Art
For nearly three decades, Galerie ARTE has played an active role in the emergence and recognition of contemporary African art. It has supported numerous artists at the beginning of their careers and contributed decisively to the dissemination of innovative artistic expressions from the continent.
From 2009 to 2019, the gallery expanded to Saint-Louis, becoming a major cultural actor in this historic city. It notably initiated the Saint-Louis Biennale Off and the Festival of the River in Colours, helping anchor contemporary creation in northern Senegal and fostering a dynamic local art scene.
Today, the gallery continues to present a rigorous selection of emerging and established artists — paintings, sculptures, and installations — reflecting the vitality and diversity of African artistic practices.

Design & Furniture
Furniture designed by Joëlle Le Bussy is crafted from precious African woods, whose natural colors and striking grains allow for refined assemblages reminiscent of marquetry. These pieces are also distinguished by bronze handles and elements — designed by Joëlle and cast using the lost-wax technique by master craftsmen — giving each creation a strong and singular identity.
Alongside its contemporary lines, the gallery offers a collection inspired by African traditions, incorporating Dogon, Baoulé, and Bamoun doors rich in symbolism and history, reinterpreted with a modern sensibility.

Fine Craftsmanship
Galerie ARTE highlights the excellence of West African craft traditions: bronze artworks from Senegal and Burkina Faso made using ancestral methods, Tuareg jewelry crafted by master artisans, decorative wooden objects, as well as painted souweré plates and trays featuring traditional motifs. Each piece reflects the precision of a savoir-faire passed down with passion.

Our Mission
Since 1996, Galerie ARTE has been committed to promoting African creation in Senegal and beyond. It strives to be a bridge between tradition and modernity — a space where artists, designers, artisans, and visitors meet to celebrate the dialogue of forms, materials, and cultures.