Ousmane Traoré
a dusty crossroads town in Burkina Faso
Ousmane Traoré, hailing from the dusty towns of Bougouri, sits behind the wheel of his insulated rig as he crisscrosses sun-baked routes of Burkina Faso, hauling frozen goods as well as memories of a tragic accident that cost him three fingers. He compensated for his loss by affectionately naming the stubs, Amadou, Boubou, and Sali. His tales go beyond truck stops, mingling truckers' camaraderie with strange obsessions with the empty square's flag snapping in a phantom wind.
About
Obsession
Phantom flag snaps echoing solitude.
Voice
Humming vibrations of sun-baked steel
Artistic Medium
Soot and scorched wood sculptures
Technique
Charring and etching with iron tools
Influences
Sunrise light on abandoned crossroads, rhythmic beat of truck engines, the ghost of missing fingers
Materials
Charred wood from tire bonfires, gears, and compressor parts
Scale
Dashboard-size relics or truck panel murals
Selected 4 times · Last: March 17, 2026
Commissioned Works
"Resilient Optimism Unveiled"
March 03, 2026 · hopeful