The philosophy of his work? Achieve a harmonious society. Ange Dakouo is among the artists to be discovered urgently at the International Art Fair dedicated to contemporary African art and the African diaspora which opened its doors at Christie’s in Paris. Until April 10, 23 galleries from the African and European continents are presenting some fifty artists at 1-54.
Born in 1990 in Ivory Coast under the name of Losso Marie-Ange Dakouo, Ange Dakouo lives and works in Bamako, the country of origin of his parents. After a Master’s degree at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimedia in the Malian capital, he is now one of the rising artists in Mali. Beyond his presence at 1-54, he has already been selected for the Biennale du Congo in 2022 and alongside Abdoulaye Konaté and Seydou Camara for the very prestigious Documenta 15 in Kassel in 2022. Interview.
RFI : You are often described as a committed artist. What kind of commitment is it ?
Angel Dakouo : I am committed, because I address issues related to society. My work alludes to everything related to the search for harmony in society. My work is also inspired by the amulets of traditional hunters in Mali called the Dozos.
You are also part of the Collectif Tim’Art in Bamako. What is the purpose of this collective of artists ?
It is a collective of visual artists bringing together a dozen artists. The raison d’être is to promote art in general and the usual arts in a specific way. This promotion is necessary because we live in an environment where art is often misunderstood among this population. We try to raise awareness on the one hand and to bring each other to understand the context of the art and of what we do. We want to help them understand the messages contained in our creations.
Among your works (whose prices vary between 2 000 and 4 000 euros) hung on the stand of the Ivorian gallery Loui Simone Guirandou at the 1-54 fair, many bear the title walking. And you often mention the very strong link between your works and the Dozo hunting brotherhood.
The year of my final studies at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimedia de Bamako, I had proposed as the subject of my dissertation a work on traditional hunters. I was really amazed by the costumes of these hunters. They have a particular costume, a costume loaded with amulets. I tried to understand the proper meaning of these amulets, intended to protect the person who wears them. Then, my intention is to transcend the meaning of these amulets by bringing them into my work. In my pieces, these amulets actually represent individuals. They are people who are supposed to protect themselves and others, to finally arrive at a harmonious society. That’s the philosophy of my work.
What do the red dots scattered throughout your woven installations mean? ?
In most of my works, there are these red dots, it’s like moments of alert. They are there to let us know that every time we embark on this quest for a better society, we will always face obstacles. It is these obstacles that are indicated by these red dots: “Watch out, there are problems”. And in the face of these problems, we must be strong and realize that we must not give up, but face them and overcome them necessarily in order to achieve the objective.
You also give your works the name of “ woven grey-grey “. What technique do you use to arrive at these intensely elegant, fluid and mysterious installations-costumes-carpets-canvases? ?
It is first of all a work of recovery, because they are made from cardboard, newspaper and cotton threads. From these materials, I design these individual gris-gris. Once designed and woven, this turns into a canvas. For this, I called them “woven gray-grey”.
The use of newsprint is a tribute to my father, because I am the son of a printer. Each time when he came home, he brought us newspapers. And I want to convey messages like the press.
The Weavers of Links and Tomorrow will be better were titled two of your previous exhibitions. In your very optimistic conception of art, your works are not only works, but can we say that they are a creation of future members of a future ideal society ?
Exactly, an ideal society is the goal.
The colors of your works are of an impressive depth. What meaning is hidden behind ?
I was talking about the red alert points, on the other hand, the canvas all in red is titled Power. Because you have to regain your energy, recharge your batteries, each time you are faced with a problem. The symbolism of colors expresses the different moments of our lives. White and blue are rather peaceful times. White alone is a moment of purity and tranquility. A kind of total harmony. As for black, it represents moments of trouble, of imbalance, moments when we have to fight to rebalance the situation.
You mention difficulties, obstacles, you live and work in a difficult environment. Are there galleries, buyers, an art market in Bamako ? What is your situation as an artist ?
The situation in the country is still complicated for artists. In Mali, there are not really specialized galleries in the various international fairs. We feel obliged to collaborate with other galleries outside to have visibility, promote our work and break into art. Personally, I’m at a stage where I don’t have to complain, because I’ve been living off my job for a few years. Personally, I get away with it.
► 1-54, Art fair dedicated to contemporary African art and the African diaspora, from April 7 to 14 at Christie’s in Paris. Visitors will also be able to view and acquire the works online at artsy.net/1-54.
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