Tangible 2026 - Jean Servais Somian

Trained at the Georges Ghandour woodworking and cabinetmaking center in Abidjan, at the Grand-Bassam craft center, and then at the Daniel Beck design and conception agency in Lausanne, Jean Servais Somian has been creating from his design studio in Grand-Bassam. His modern, exacting creations offer a new language combining design and sculpture. With a strong personality and produced in limited series or as unique pieces, his works draw on an ancestral practice: combining aesthetics and functionality, the objects he creates transcend their utilitarian aspect. The grounding of his approach in tradition and his view of his environment come through in his choice of preferred materials. Jean Servais Somian works not only with natural materials, such as coconut wood, now his signature material, but also with a range of other materials, including everyday objects that nourish his creative language. He seeks out the fragility of materials in order to turn them into striking pieces of furniture. His work is now presented around the world, in galleries and museums as well as at international events.

In 2021, eager to pass on his expertise and train a new generation of Ivorian designers, he launched the “Young Designer’s Workshop.” In 2024, he opened Maison N’Zima, an artist residency and exhibition space in Grand-Bassam.

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