Born in 1971, Hamed Ouattara is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Established as one of the most prominent voices in the world of contemporary African design, he is known for using local raw materials of upcycled barrels and cans, in direct response to his immediate environment. His studio further adapts its production and distribution methods to the local sociopolitical climate, whether in terms of equipment, energy supply, or access to materials, the studio contributes to an economy of reuse and sustainability.
After studying accounting, Ouattara moved to design and visual arts, receiving training at the Olorun Foundation. In 2002, he founded Studio Hamed Ouattara (SHO), before graduating from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (ENSCI) in Paris, in 2003. During the last two decades, Hamed Ouattara has regularly exhibited across the world. He joined the highly dynamic DNA (Design Network Africa) supported by the Danish Center for Culture and Development.
