Softcover book
Publisher: Primo Marella Gallery.
Dimensions: 30 x 21 x 1.7 cm
pages: 217
Combining the aesthetics of the local with global subject matter, Abdoulaye Konaté merges political commentary and traditional craftsmanship.
Abdoulaye Konaté creates large-scale textile-based installations using woven and dyed clothes, materials native to his homeland Mali. Konaté’s abstract and figurative tableaux explore both aesthetic language and diverse socio-political and environmental issues. Referring to the West-African tradition of using textiles as a means of communication, the artist balances the global issues with an intimate reference to his own life and country. His work often questions the ways in which societies and individuals have been affected by factors such as war, the struggle for power, religion, globalization, ecological shifts and the AIDS epidemic.
Abdoulaye Konaté creates large-scale textile-based installations using woven and dyed clothes, materials native to his homeland Mali. Konaté’s abstract and figurative tableaux explore both aesthetic language and diverse socio-political and environmental issues. Referring to the West-African tradition of using textiles as a means of communication, the artist balances the global issues with an intimate reference to his own life and country. His work often questions the ways in which societies and individuals have been affected by factors such as war, the struggle for power, religion, globalization, ecological shifts and the AIDS epidemic.
His works look like wall tapestries: most of the time they are composed of layered, hand embroidered cotton ribbons. Colors play a big role and the choice depends not only on the composition he has in mind but also on the symbolic meaning: the colours are the words of living nature that allow communications but also interpretations. Three colours first: white, black and red. Magnetar poles connecting the inner substance of every ancient symbolism about colours. In Africa the colour is a religious symbol, full of signifiances and power.
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