LETTER FROM ABIDJAN

The BAE stadium in Yopougon, a populous commune to the west of Abidjan, is known for hosting two types of events: sports and concerts. But from Wednesday, February 5, to Monday, February 10, crowds gathered there to witness a different kind of feat – the Guinness World Record for artistic marathon. The 120-hour performance ended at 9:38 pm on February 10.

In her air-conditioned, Plexiglas-enclosed room, Mylène Amon, exhausted and in tears, greeted the hundreds of supporters who had come to give her a standing ovation. Despite the severe weather, the young woman managed to complete 132 portraits in five days.

Her "paper art" technique − optical illusion portraits created using strips of paper − may represent niche art, but she has nonetheless managed to attract a sizable and ever-enthusiastic following. The Facebook page "Mylène Amon Guinness Record," created especially for the occasion, collected 76,000 subscribers. "It shows that Côte d'Ivoire is taking initiative, moving and occupying a real place in Africa," said enthusiastic curator and art critic Ange Alvine Yao, a certifying witness on behalf of Guinness World Records. "We are very proud of her."

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