The material and the world of Abdoulaye Konaté Critical essay by Joëlle Busca Translated by Regina Luisa Sozzi
Abdoulaye Konaté was born in 1953 in northern Mali, in Diré. Growing up in an extremely well-educated family, he then graduated at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako (1972-1976). He moved to Cuba to continue his studies (1978-1985) and there he discovers a multidisciplinary school level, le paysage Cubain est très different du Mali, il est nouveau pour Abdullayé. Artist committed to providing the best chances for the future of younger generation, in 2002 he creates in Bamako under the patronage of state of Mali, the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers Multimedia a nome de Ballafasseké Kouyaté which represents the conceptual result of both the ISA (in Cuba) and Fresnoy National Studio of Contemporary Arts (in Tourcoing). This school is provided with significant technical facilities, with a competent teaching staff and with a program of workshops led by artists and guest teachers. A humanism embodied in a philosophy of active transmission underlies his role of artist, educator and administrator and it oversees the development of this educational project which represent the base of artistic education in Africa. This multidisciplinary school is widely open to a global artistic creation. It promotes the emergence of non-modeled artistic identities and intercultural and intergenerational debate.
Influences - Tradition On his return from Havana, he pledged a new artistic and intellectual experience, he finds his familiar environment. He paints a large production of artworks on acrylic on paper, creating abstract and colorful signs and symbols relating to his origins. Attached to the classic graphic signs he explores cults and cosmological descriptions of the Malian societies, mainly ciwara or amulets. The Ciwara is the head of the beast of the culture, the zoomorphic crest whose elegant lines evoke a graceful antelope ripple, it epitomizes the universe within a sculpture and it inspires a wide variation of figures. In some
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