She Want Love, 2014

Cameroon-based artist Boris Nzebo creates paintings that show off the psychedelic vibrancy of his home in Douala. He explains a series of his works to the Guardian: ‘The figures in my work are often not real people but characters drawn from my memory and imagination. Each image has an elaborate story behind it. She Want Love reflects on the life of a woman who, unable to conceive a child and abandoned by her partners when they found out, has adopted children on her own.’ Boris Nezbo: Urban Style is at Manchester Art Gallery until 13 November. All artworks: Boris Nzebo

Femme Facile, 2015

‘Femme Facile investigates the many demands women encounter on a daily basis. The femme facile (easy woman) feels she must always agree and give in to these demands. I often choose women as my subjects, and use the interlacing of physical features and urban exteriors to explore their inner state’

Coco Banana, 2014

‘I’m often inspired by the stories of people I meet in Douala. Coco Banana is based on the true story of a wealthy young man who lost all of his money and now lives in poverty. Spending his money on clothes, drugs and alcohol, his story is seen as a cautionary tale to the young people of Douala’

Urban Style, 2014

‘I grew up in an environment in which hairstyles were an important part of personal expression and identity. For years I’ve explored the impact, meaning and reaction to hairstyles in urban spaces. I began my career by decorating the hand-drawn advertisements found outside Central African beauty parlours’

Douala Tonight, 2014

‘Douala Tonight is inspired by the disorder and drama of the nightlife in Douala, my hometown. I aim to create urban narratives, touching upon the desires, values, morals and mindsets of modern individuals. Though fictional, my stories could be real’

Laisse Pas Traîner Ton Fils 3, 2014

‘This is a response to the intense ambitions of certain parents to see their children succeed. It challenges these parents and how they, overloading their children with attention and advice, prevent them from seeking out a life on their own’

Coiffure Urbaine, 2009

‘The hairstyle shown in Coiffure Urbaine is very popular in Douala. Many people are unable to afford salon prices, so they style their own hair. This hairstyle is created using soap to roll the hair into small dreadlocks – even women in Douala now wear it! I like the way that a chosen hairstyle can imply a rejection of certain facets of our society: political, economic or cultural’

Les Grandes Réalisations de 2035, 2014

‘This work is inspired by the political situation in Cameroon. The presidential campaign of the current government promised a change in living conditions by 2035. We now realise that this promise was a lie; nothing has been done, prices are rising day by day and young graduates become “benskinneurs” (motorcycle taxi drivers) or vendors’

Downtown, 2014

‘Downtown celebrates the people of Douala, particularly those with little money who, unable to afford a good meal, maintain an air of joy, gaiety and beauty. I enjoy working with large canvases because they reflect the immensity of Cameroon’s largest city’

The Knowledge, 2015

‘This celebrates the idea of a society in which value is given to those who deserve it. Hatred and jealousy are useless – we should respect those with positive and constructive ideas. This is the only way we can make progress’

État des Lieux, 2013

‘État des Lieux (The State of Things) depicts the face of a serene and thoughtful woman. The small girls who appear in the background discuss the many problems affecting society: sanitation, leadership conflicts, shortage of food, embezzlement of public funds, terrorism and wars’