Ivory Coast's economic hub Abidjan turns into vibrant graffiti gallery

Passers-by praise artists’ efforts to revamp the urban centre

Street artists who came to participate in the first edition of Graff Ivoire, paint a mural on the facade of the Pullman hotel, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Nov 17, 2024. REUTERS/Luc Gnago

Splashes of vibrant colours are reviving the urban canvas of Abidjan's Plateau district, the economic heart of the Ivory Coast.

Ivorians have previously viewed graffiti with disdain and graffiti artists were liable for prosecution. But that view is changing, and graffiti murals are increasingly common on city walls as the artform has gained acceptance.

Towering murals and intricate graffiti pieces now adorn the exteriors of international hotels and major thoroughfares.

The inaugural "Ivory Graff Graffiti Festival" attracted around 40 national and international artists who spent two weeks in November converting bland walls into 300-meter-long works of art.

Benjamin Le Lieve, president of festival organiser Graff Ivoire, said he was proud to have launched a new initiative.

Passers-by admired the artists at work and expressed approval for their efforts to revamp the urban centre.

"It brings a change to the city of Abidjan," said Michael Bende, an Ivorian citizen.

South African artist Dbongz Mahlathi said: "The graffiti I've created isn't for me ... it's for the people who will see it every day."