A Senegalese Curator Brings Light Through the Fissures at the Venice Biennale
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In the hushed halls of the 17th-century Palazzo Donà dalle Rose, where the light filters through ancient windows onto Venetian floors, Mama Anne has quietly inserted an Afro-diasporic voice into one of the most prestigious stages in contemporary art. As…
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For Omar Ba, the Canvas Is a Political Battlefield: “Art Is Not a Game. It’s a Form of Violence.”
The day everything changed, Omar Ba was sitting in a classroom at a technical school in Dakar, Senegal, facing an impossible assignment. Rather than hand in a blank page, he drew a figure being stabbed in the back. His mechanics…
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Birame Ndiaye’s ‘Urban Jungle’: Painting the Shadows of Dakar
Birame Ndiaye (b.1968), a Senegalese visual artist from Pikine, a working-class suburb of Dakar where he grew up, has been developing for over thirty years a body of work deeply rooted in urban reality, which he calls Urban Jungle —…
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Enough Praise, Not Enough Judgment: Dr. Célestin Koffi Yao Calls for Art to Be Put on Trial
Ivorian art critic Célestin Koffi Yao reflects on the lack of critical discourse on artists from Africa, where promotion often replaces analysis. He calls for a more rigorous approach to art criticism, grounded in intellectual inquiry and the idea of…
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For Senegal at the Venice Biennale, Caroline Gueye’s Inquiry Into Gold and Perception
When the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia opens its doors on May 9, under the title In Minor Keys, Senegal will present its second official national pavilion. Curated by Massamba Mbaye, the pavilion features Caroline Gueye,…
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Why the Dakar Biennale Still Matters — Despite Everything
The announcement, in late January 2025, that the 16th edition of the Dakar Biennale would take place from November 19 to December 19, 2026, brought a sense of relief commensurate with the concerns that had preceded it. For months, the…
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In Assinie, a Luxury Hotel That Became an Open-Air Museum
About 80 kilometers east of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, along the Atlantic coastline, Assinie has long been known as a seaside retreat. But beyond its beaches and resorts, a different kind of landscape is quietly taking shape. For DakArtNews, this visit…
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Marie-Cécile Zinsou on Why Museums Matter in Africa — and Who They Are For
Over the past two decades, museums and cultural initiatives have begun to reshape the artistic landscape across Africa, redefining not only how art is produced and exhibited, but also how it is experienced locally. In Benin, few figures have played…
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He Watched the Children Draw. Now He Teaches Them to Paint.
For more than two decades, the Ivorian artist Aboudia has painted the faces, symbols and urgent markings of childhood onto large canvases that now travel the global art circuit. Frequently compared — fairly or not — to Jean-Michel Basquiat, and…
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Touria El Glaoui, Founder of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, on Building Beyond Visibility
As recent institutional research suggests that the African art market has “come of age,” with dedicated auction departments now integrated into broader contemporary sales, the conversation around African art has shifted from questions of visibility to those of structural integration.…
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Against Hierarchy, Toward Community: How Esinam Damalie is rethinking curatorial practice in Africa
As contemporary African art gains unprecedented visibility, questions of curation—who frames the work, how it is mediated and for whom—have become increasingly urgent. In this interview with DakArtNews, Rosemary Esinam Damalie, a Ghanaian artist and curator, reflects on curation as…
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In Côte d’Ivoire, a Sculptor Gives Form to the Unseen
In this interview conducted in Abidjan, Soro Kafana welcomes us into the intimate space where he lives and thinks about his art. Born in Côte d’Ivoire to a family of blacksmiths and farmers, Soro Kafana today “forges” wood with a…
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From Souks to Studio: Mo Baala, Painting in the Space Between Truths
In the village of Touggana, a quiet settlement on the outskirts of Marrakech where the city’s frenetic energy gives way to open sky and sparse olive groves, Mohamed Baala — known as Mo Baala — welcomed DakArtNews into his studio,…
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We Will Not Forget: How African Artists Confront the Post Colonial Legacy
Published in Art + Australia — Vol 60, No. 2 (The Recurrent) By Remy Mallet, Founder of DakArtNews A generation of contemporary artists are turning to the past—not out of nostalgia, but as a way to reshape the present. In…
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African Design Is Rising. Hicham Lahlou, One of Its Pioneers, Explains Why.
For thirty years, the Moroccan designer and interior architect has built a language that fuses African heritage with global modernism. A graduate of the Académie Charpentier in Paris, Lahlou is regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary African…
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The Artist Within Society: Insights from Jacobleu
In October, Ivorian multidisciplinary artist Jacobleu was in Dakar as part of preparations for the upcoming first edition of West African Festival of Arts and Culture (ECOFEST), a regional initiative supported by ECOWAS and UEMOA. His role in the organisation…
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Forget ‘African Art.’ Franck Hermann Ekra Argues for the Trans-African
In the crowded aisles of the Carreau du Temple, where the 10th edition of the AKAA art fair unfolded this October, Franck Hermann Ekra moved with the quiet assurance of someone who has spent years reading the world through its…
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‘Painting Feels Like Prayer’ for Keemetaane’s Mystic Canvases
Born in Linguère, in northeastern Senegal, where the rhythms of rural life left no room for canvas or paint, Babacar Ndiaye grew up without an artistic tradition to guide him. His early career unfolded in Senegal’s tourism sector, , a…
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“A Home for Us, by Us”: How Tokini Peterside-Schwebig Made ART X Lagos a Landmark for African Art
For Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, art has always been more than an industry—it is a way of imagining the future. Nearly ten years ago, she channeled that belief into ART X Lagos, a fair that has since become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s…
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Abidjan’s New Wave: The Young Artists Shaping Ivory Coast’s Creative Future
Abidjan is riding a bold new wave of contemporary art. This vibrant city, Ivory Coast’s economic heartbeat, is transforming into a global hub for creative innovation. Its streets, galleries, and museums pulse with fresh energy, driven by a dynamic generation…
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“We Are All Bidons”: Romuald Hazoumè’s Jerrycan Masks Mock a Wasteful World
Romuald Hazoumè’s voice—blunt, defiant, uncompromising—carries the same raw force as his iconic masks made from jerrycans. These sculptures, fashioned from discarded petrol containers, evoke Benin’s shadow economy of fuel smuggling with Nigeria, where many risk their lives transporting volatile loads…
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Amadou Diaw, Architect of MuPho, Makes Photography the Beating Heart of Saint-Louis, Senegal
Few cities in West Africa carry the weight of memory quite like Saint-Louis. Perched on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River, this UNESCO World Heritage site was once the colonial capital of French West Africa, a cosmopolitan…
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A Swiss Foundation Elevates African Voices Through Artists and Scholars
In the heart of Basel, a city whose history is intertwined with Africa in ways both inspiring and troubling, the Fondation Oumou Dilly is quietly reshaping the conversation about who gets to produce knowledge — and whose stories get told.…
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The Curator Working to Decolonize a Museum in Dakar Designed for Colonizers: A Conversation with Dr. El Hadji Malick Ndiaye
The Théodore Monod Museum of African Art was never meant to tell Africa’s story on its own terms. Founded in 1936 as part of a colonial ethnographic project, its mission was once to display African objects as curiosities of a…
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As AKAA Turns 10, Beauty Becomes the Compass for Sitor Senghor’s New Direction
His name is inseparable from African cultural history. As the grand-nephew of Léopold Sédar Senghor — poet, philosopher, and first president of Senegal — Sitor Senghor carries a legacy deeply tied to art and intercultural dialogue. Now, as he takes…
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How Agnes Essonti Luque Reclaims African Memory Through Photography and Ritual
To navigate between worlds — this might be the most fitting way to describe the practice of Agnes Essonti Luque, born to a Spanish mother and a Cameroonian father, whose work, both intimate and political, transcends disciplinary, geographic, and symbolic…
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In Southern Senegal, a Potter Preserves Culture One Sculpture at a Time
Far from the hustle and bustle of Dakar, over 400 kilometers to the south, lies the village of Edioungou in the Casamance region. There, amidst the dense greenery and age-old traditions, pottery is more than a craft — it is…
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Africa’s Artists Deserve a Bigger Stage. Basel Is Just the Start
In June 2025, Africa Basel emerged as a groundbreaking international platform for African contemporary art, held in Basel, Switzerland, alongside the world-renowned Art Basel. This inaugural fair not only showcased the vibrancy of African creativity but also sparked critical discussions…
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No Entry: The Artist Whose Visa Was Denied for a Project About Borders in Basel
He was meant to be here at Africa Basel, showcasing his project Art World Passport—an artistic critique of borders and movement. Richard Mudariki, a Zimbabwean artist based in South Africa and founder of artHarare, was invited to Basel to present…
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Africa Basel Debuts: A New Platform of Possibility in the Heart of the Global Art Circuit
From June 18 to 22, 2025, Africa Basel, a fair dedicated to contemporary African art and its diaspora, transforms Basel’s Ackermannshof into a vibrant creative space during Art Basel week. With 18 international exhibitors, the inaugural edition—launched with a Curious…
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From Dakar to The World: How RAW Material Company Honors Koyo Kouoh’s Legacy While Looking Ahead
On June 14, 2025, RAW Material Company will host a day of celebration in honor of its founder and visionary curator, Koyo Kouoh, who passed away on May 10, 2025. A leading voice in contemporary African art, Koyo left an…
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Modou Dieng Yacine’s Poetics of Memory and Identity – Interview
During his visit to Senegal in Winter 2025, DakArtNews met with Modou Dieng Yacine, a Chicago-based artist born in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in 1970. A graduate of Dakar’s École des Beaux-Arts and the San Francisco Art Institute, he blends painting, photography,…
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‘Paris Noir’: 300 Works Stir Black Pride
From March 19 to June 30, 2025, Paris pulses with a celebration of African and diasporic artistry, and nowhere is this more evident than at the Centre Pompidou. On its futuristic facade, Gérard Sokoto’s piercing self-portrait announces Paris Noir, a…
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In Dakar, Carole Diop Maps a City’s Art and Past
Carole Diop, an architect and cultural advocate, sat down with Dakartnews to discuss “Dakar, Metamorphosis of a Capital”, a book published in late 2024 and co-authored with Xavier Ricou. This work explores how Dakar, Senegal’s capital and once a key…
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Interview with Ko Sy – A Journey from Fashion to Painting
Ko Sy, whose real name is Colette Diallo, is a self-taught Senegalese artist whose journey into painting began unexpectedly during the Covid-19 pandemic. With a background in fashion design, she spent two decades in the fashion industry in France before…
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Contemporary African Art Takes Center Stage at Basel’s Newest Fair
In June 2025, Basel will welcome a new addition to its globally renowned art scene: Africa Basel, an art fair debuting alongside Art Basel. Co-founded by Benjamin Füglister, who also launched the Contemporary African Photography (CAP) Prize in 2012, this…
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Rituals and Resistance in Artistic Practices in Africa and Beyond: A Curatorial Approach
“For a Counter-Mapping of Resistance Practices (Art, Ritual, and Politics)” is the culmination of Camille Lévy-Sarfati’s research residency at Gallery Selebe Yoon in Dakar. This installation is both an artistic and intellectual exploration, offering an alternative cartography of resistance practices,…
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Ousmane Ndiaye Dago: A Pictorial and Sculptural Photography
Ousmane Ndiaye Dago is a Senegalese artist whose unique journey blends various forms of artistic expression, ranging from graphic design to photography and painting. Through his art, Dago explores the invisible and abstract dimensions of the human body. In this…
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Uncovering the African Soul of Basquiat’s Art: A Conversation with Kemit
Published in 2024 by Dola Editions, Basquiat l’Africain (Basquiat The African) is written by Kemit, a Gabonese artist whose real name is Franck Mboumba. A multifaceted creator—author, composer, singer, rapper, and poet—Kemit explores the African roots that influenced Jean-Michel Basquiat’s…
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From Geneva to Dakar: David Brolliet, a Collector of Art and Encounters
There are collectors who amass artworks, and others who build connections. David Brolliet belongs to the latter category: for him, art is above all a human adventure, a means of forging bonds. His collection, comprising over 1,000 works accumulated over…
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A Visit to Seyni Awa Camara in Her Home in Bignona, Casamance
DakartNews recently had the privilege of visiting renowned Senegalese artist Seyni Awa Camara at her home in Maguilene, a neighborhood in Bignona, Casamance, in the south of Senegal. Seyni warmly welcomes us, surrounded by her stunning creations. When asked which…
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Baye Ndiaga Diouf: Art That Heals and Inspires
In his studio located in Nguekhokh, around 70kms south of Dakar, Baye Ndiaga Diouf shares the essence of his art, which draws on natural materials like Touba coffee, cola, and charcoal. His works reflect his spiritual journey within Mouridism and…
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The Soul of Revolution -Khalifa Mané: Shaping Art with Rage
Khalifa Mané was born in 1998 in Casamance, southern Senegal. He began his artistic journey in the studio of French painter Le Guenne, where he spent several years learning the basics of painting. This early training, combined with his desire…
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The Evolution of Contemporary Art in Senegal: A Conversation with Bara Diokhané
Bara Diokhané embodies the roles of art collector, filmmaker, painter, activist, and lawyer. Nicknamed “the lawyer of artists,” Bara Diokhané has long advocated for the recognition of artists and their role in socio-economic development. His latest film, Amoonafi (“It Happened…
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Rosalie Boka: A Young Ivorian Artist Advocating for Nature
DakArtNews met in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with Rosalie Boka, a 27-year-old Ivorian artist and a recent graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Abidjan. Passionate about nature and deeply concerned with environmental issues, she uses painting as a medium to…
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Zeus: Turning Trash into Art for Social Change
Originally from Saint-Louis, Senegal, Zeus, whose real name is Boye Amadou, is a self-taught artist dedicated to transforming waste into artistic treasures. For over 20 years, he has been giving new life to discarded objects in a practice that is…
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Transcendence Through Art: Symbols of Life Exhibition
Presented as part of the OFF program of Dakar’s Biennale of Contemporary African Art, the Symbols of Life: Beyond Perception exhibition invites us to explore the depths of human connection and the spiritual essence that unites us. In partnership with…
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Petroni 40: A Retrospective of Artistic Collaboration in Dakar
Dakartnews is pleased to meet an artist whose career spans over 40 years in Dakar. If you have visited the city, you have likely seen Petroni’s works adorning the streets, as he has significantly contributed to its decoration by renovating…
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What Is Art? Insights from Baba Ly in Dakar
As part of the What is Art series, DakartNews met with Baba Ly, born in 1987, and the son of renowned Senegalese painter Amadou Dédé Ly. A committed artist, Baba Ly welcomed us at the Village of Arts in Dakar…
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The Contemporary African Art Landscape with Prof. Yacouba Konaté
DakartNews had the privilege of meeting with Yacouba Konaté, an esteemed professor of philosophy at the University of Abidjan, renowned art critic, and honorary president of the International Association of Art Critics. Notably, he served as the General Commissioner of…
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“Art Is a Blessing from God”: In His Studio Overlooking the Atlantic, Moussa Sène Absa Merges Painting and Cinema
In the heart of Popenguine, a peaceful village on Senegal’s Petite Côte bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Moussa Sène Absa opens the doors to his world. For more than thirty years, the filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist has chosen to live…
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Bridging Africa and The World Through Contemporary Art 