Croissant, pigeon… À la galerie Nothing Serious, l’artiste Paa Joe transforme les clichés parisiens en cercueils pop
Ghanaian artist Paa Joe has transformed iconic Parisian symbols into vibrant "fantasy coffins" for his solo exhibition, "From Paa Joe to Paaris," at Galerie Nothing Serious. The show features 25 large-scale sculptures, including a Café de Flore cup, a croissant, a Renault 4L, and a bottle of Pouilly-Fumé, all handcrafted in the tradition of Ga burial customs. Created alongside his son Jacob Tetteh-Ashong, these works reinterpret French clichés through a playful yet surreal lens, marking the gallery's return after a four-year hiatus.
This exhibition matters because it bridges West African funerary traditions with contemporary Western consumer culture, challenging how we perceive death and memory. By placing these "abebu adekai" (proverb boxes) in a white-cube gallery setting, the show moves beyond folk curiosity to engage with the fictionalized, postcard identity of Paris. It highlights Paa Joe’s enduring influence as a master of the craft—originally introduced to global audiences in the landmark 1989 exhibition "Magiciens de la terre"—while questioning what objects best represent a life lived.