Statement 2019
Transcription of the statement for the 21st Biennial
Malian cultural heritage is very important in my work because it is what I know well, but I am also open to other cultures. In Mali, we say that self-knowledge is the best knowledge. For me, digital and contemporary art is a good way to revalue our heritage and make it more accessible. It is also important to show that there is no separation between heritage and the contemporary. "Today's contemporary art will be the heritage of tomorrow," said Yacouba Konate, an influential African curator and philosopher.
I am a visual artist; therefore I touch a lot of mediums even if the video occupies a big place in my works. The choice of medium is dependent upon the subject and the emotion that I want to make the audience feel. But for this work, I think photography is imposed on me. Because the texture of Banko, the beauty of architecture, the movement of people is more visible through photography. Photography helps to freeze the time and atmosphere around this ceremony and to watch it in depth.
This series I’m presenting at the 21st Biennial could be shown as an installation, because, in addition to the photos, I also recorded sounds of the ceremony, and I believe the photos accompanied with a sound installation will immerse the viewer in the atmosphere of this rite.