Roukiata Ouedraogo's Trend Column: Contemporary Art is Fine

Franco-Burkinabé comedian and columnist Roukiata Ouedraogo offers a candid look at the life of a contemporary artist, particularly one focused on urban trends. While she acknowledges the benefits of her current role as a columnist, she describes it as a solitary profession, lacking the social engagement and recognition found in other fields.

"Being a columnist is fine, I'm not complaining, I eat my fill. But it's a rather lonely job," Ouedraogo writes. She elaborates on the isolation, spending endless hours scrolling for the latest trends and engaging in limited social interactions, often confined to local cafes or media consumption. The lack of formal accolades, such as a prize for the best Franco-Burkinabé columnist in a Swiss magazine, further underscores her point about the understated nature of her recognition.

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Being a columnist is fine, I'm not complaining, I eat my fill. But it's a rather lonely job.

Beyond her column, Ouedraogo also writes novels but expresses growing weariness with the state of the publishing industry in France. She states, "I'm not political, mind you, but honestly, it's politics that's doing this to us, and we're not asking for that much!" This sentiment suggests a broader frustration with external factors impacting creative work, hinting at a complex relationship between art, industry, and politics.

The article, published in Le Temps, is part of a series of chronicles where external contributors share their perspectives. The publication clarifies that these views represent the authors' own opinions and not necessarily the newspaper's official stance.

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I'm not political, mind you, but honestly, it's politics that's doing this to us, and we're not asking for that much!