Bridging Africa and The World Through Contemporary Art

Inspiring Conversations around Africa’s Art World

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  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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.…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • “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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Tidiane Ndongo, born in 1970, is a Malian artist. He learned the traditional bogolan (Mudcloth) technique at the age of 24, guided by Youssouf Sidibé Nelly in Bamako. His work is influenced by the research of late Youssouf Tata Cissé,…

  • DakartNews has the pleasure of speaking with a key figure in the Senegalese art scene—a curator and artistic director who has, over the years, established himself as an essential expert in the field of visual arts. Wagane Gueye is the…

  • As part of our What is Art? series, we are delighted to show the vision of Magatte Touré, a visual artist whose work is deeply intertwined with life and creativity. Graduating from the Fine Arts School of Dakar in 2005,…

  • DakartNews met with Andrée Diop Depret, the first female architect to graduate in Senegal, on the sidelines of a conference on the valorization of Senegalese built heritage, organized in Dakar by Senegalese architect Nzinga Mboup and the Canadian Centre for…

  • In the midst of Medina, Dakar, where the rhythm of daily life and the pulse of creativity intertwine, Espace Medina emerges as a vibrant hub of artistic expression. Amidst the lively street scenes and the dynamic transformation of the neighborhood,…

  • Diama Thiam, a 33-year-old biochemist turned multi-talented artist, is the creator of the brand Ndati. Diama bridges the gap between science and creativity, excelling in fashion design, photography, and painting. In our exclusive interview, she shares her story of resilience,…

  • We are in a bright garden with tree trunks assembled and slender metal rods. The sculptures, which are raw pieces of wood and rusted metals, stand in a vertical position, pointing up towards the sky like trees or plants in…

  • When entering Kara Fall’s studio, a soft jazz melody fills the air. Posters of famous blues and jazz figures adorn the space, along with his keyboard where he plays music between paintings. Fall’s abstract and figurative works, infused with his…

  • Dr. Ibou Diop, a distinguished Senegalese curator, art critic, and literary scholar based in Berlin, has significantly contributed to the discourse on colonial memory and contemporary African art, having worked on a remembrance concept for colonialism for the Berlin Senate.…

  • Born in Nigeria in 1990, multi-award-winning artist Samuel Nnorom opened the doors of his studio to Dakartnews shortly before the end of his artistic residency at Black Rock Senegal in Dakar. His artistic journey is deeply rooted in the exploration…

  • DakartNews had the honor to interview Paul G. Chandler, the Founding President of CARAVAN Arts. Chandler shares, in this interview, his profound journey from growing up immersed in Senegal’s vibrant arts scene to establishing CARAVAN, an international NGO dedicated to…

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