Trained at the Georges Ghandour Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Center in Abidjan, the Grand-Bassam Craft Center, and later at the Daniel Beck Design and Concept Agency in Lausanne, Jean Servais Somian now creates from his design studio in Grand-Bassam.
His modern and demanding creations introduce a new visual language, blending design and sculpture. With strong personality and produced in limited series or as unique pieces, his works draw inspiration from an ancestral practice: combining aesthetics and functionality, the objects he creates transcend their utilitarian purpose.
The rootedness of his approach in tradition, along with his attentive gaze on his environment, is reflected in his choice of materials. Jean Servais Somian works not only with natural materials—such as coconut wood, which has become his signature—but also with a variety of other materials, including everyday objects that enrich his creative expression. He seeks out the fragility of materials in order to transform them into striking pieces of furniture.
Today, his work is presented worldwide, in galleries and museums, as well as at international events.
In 2021, driven by a desire 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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