Galerie1.Galerie2.
Sénégal.Artistes
My work is a reproduction of daily life in my country, Senegal. The paintings give an impression of traditional culture which is getting lost. I picture our country life, religion, the tea ceremony, the musicians.
My family originates from St. Louis. In 1960, after the independence of Senegal, my parents moved to Dakar. Since I was eighteen, I regularly visited my grandparents in St. Louis and explored the traditional culture in the surrounding villages. Regrettably, the cities have lost much of their tradition due to modernization and French colonial influence.
The French also prohibited the Muslim religion. I myself am a practising believer. The Koran and the Imam are present in my paintings. I am against imposing or prohibiting any faith.
I was educated at the Ecole National des
Beaus Arts in Dakar. In 1985/6 I studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieur des
Beaux Arts in Paris. Some painters loose their roots in training and start
imitating French culture.
I wanted to prevent this at any price.
I have roamed a great deal and live in Amsterdam since a couple of years. My passion for showing Africa and its traditional culture to Europeans has remained. In Amsterdam I have found my characteristic style. The paintings are very colourful and composed like a puzzle.