Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté is known for his exquisite practice, which masterfully utilises textiles, creating works as enigmatically layered as the socio-political landscape of Mali itself. Situated at the heart of the Sahel, Mali’s heritage is long in the art of textile craftsmanship—a tradition that goes beyond mere aesthetics.
An integral part of West African tradition, fabric and textiles possess a sacred creed, greater than functional purpose, weaving together culture, artistry, rituals, identity, and storytelling. The Bamana people’s famed bogolanfini, or mud cloth, speaks of protection and identity, while indigo-dyed pieces reflect intricate knowledge, the alchemy of earth and hand, and social status, where natural dyes meet human touch.
Born in 1953 in the northern town of Diré, Mali, Konaté ventured on his artistic journey with the brush as his earliest companion, studying at the Institut National des Arts de Bamako. He graduated in 76 with a degree in painting, which grounded Konaté in the classical techniques of paint, which we witnessed throughout his early works.
Courtesy of artist and Efie Gallery
I always seek to occupy as much space as possible to express myself. While I can also express myself through smaller works, most of my current pieces tend to be monumental.
Abdoulaye Konaté
Yet, it was his move to Havana, Cuba, in 1978 that marked a turning point for Konaté. Immersed in the rhythmic atmosphere of the Superior de Arte (Higher Institute of Plastic Arts), where he studied until 1985, Konaté encountered the rich possibilities of multidisciplinary practice, which led to the shift from traditional painting to his famed textile works in the 1990s.
Rooted in the regal inheritance of Mali’s affluent craft traditions, Konaté transforms this heritage into a tactile, visual language that reflects the fractures of contemporary society, balanced with intimate references to his life and homeland. Konaté journals his findings in layered woven and dyed cloths, accentuated with materials native to Mali.
The artist’s use of colour is almost ceremonial; his works often teem with rich blues, vermilions, and deep umbers—a palette of symbolic meaning. Indigo, historically cultivated and valued across West Africa, carries with it the weight of trade, status, and spirituality.
There’s an undeniable physicality to Konaté’s monumental works, as they extend across gallery walls with the quiet confidence of a king reclaiming his throne. They don’t just hang—they occupy, command, and dare the gallery walls to catch up with an exalted authority. Often spanning an entire wall, these monumental creations blur the boundaries between artwork and architecture.
In his latest exhibition, titled Sambadio, now on view at Dubai’s Efie Gallery, Konaté unveils a stunning 9-meter work inspired by Ali Farka Touré’s iconic 1976 song celebrating farmers and the sanctity of the earth. Drawing parallels between West African and Bedouin cultures, Konaté pays tribute to the nomadic bond with the land, weaving themes of cultural and environmental harmony into his work.
Balancing abstraction and figuration, Konaté creates a dialogue where aesthetics are both surface allure and vehicles for critique, acting as silent agents of change. Rejecting the Eurocentric gaze that once marginalized African art and dictated its value for far too long, Konaté speaks in the material essence of Mali. He elevates the art form of weaving to the echelon of fine art, employing it as a powerful instrument of communication. In his hands, reverence meets rebellion; within his work lies a searing critique of political hypocrisy and social inequity.
Konaté’s erudite process encapsulates visual art as much as it does anthropology, embodying the patience and enduring value of the handmade in an age of digital immediacy, reminding us that the very fabric of our shared human experience is woven one thread, one story at a time
Hi Abdoulaye, thank you for joining us. To start, could you share your journey into the arts? Were there any pivotal moments that led you to pursue a career as an artist?
Abdoulaye Konaté: Sharing my journey isn’t complicated; like most contemporary artists, I followed various training paths. I studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Bamako and worked at the National Museum of Bamako. Later, I attended the Higher School of Arts in Havana, Cuba. Upon my return, I rejoined the National Museum of Mali, where I frequently engaged with Mali’s cultural heritage.
Your work often incorporates Malian culture and traditional textile techniques. How do you balance preserving these cultural practices with pushing the boundaries of contemporary art?
Abdoulaye Konaté: For me, contemporary art—or art in general—is like a crystal tunnel where limits don’t really exist. They only exist on two fronts: ethical and moral. These are the two boundaries I respect to avoid shocking society or individuals.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
Many of your pieces address socio-political issues. How do you approach translating these global concerns into a visual language that connects with a diverse audience?
Abdoulaye Konaté: We learned traditional and classical techniques at school, and we live in a society where we try to understand its dynamics. Based on our sensitivities, we attempt to express these in our current artistic practices.
Critics have noted a shift in your work from literal to abstract representations. Can you discuss this evolution?
Abdoulaye Konaté: In reality, I’ve always worked along two main lines. The first is the aesthetic vision of my work, where color plays a vital role. Color, composition, and the balance of forms in space inspire me from a general culture shared by today’s society. The second line primarily addresses societal themes, particularly human suffering.
161 cm X 119 cm. Textile.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
As a “weaver-painter,” how do you explore the relationships between support, surface, form, and colour in your compositions?
Abdoulaye Konaté: The surface, forms, and colors are essential elements in my compositions. I constantly seek a balance beyond the classical concepts we learned in school, striving to find a means of expression that allows me to push the boundaries of forms and colors within the textile medium I’ve chosen today. I use this to create new compositions that reflect my personality.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
Your exhibition “Sambadio” is inspired by Ali Farka Touré’s music and explores West African and Bedouin cultural intersections. How do you translate musical themes and these connections into your textile works?
Abdoulaye Konaté: Ali Farka’s song, as I’ve mentioned before, is a kind of epic that encourages individuals to surpass themselves and to be exemplary in their contributions to society. My work as an artist seeks to embody this example of Sambadio, aiming to inspire younger generations through my art.
Your monumental G-meter work is a centrepiece of the exhibition. How does scale factor into your artistic process, and what challenges or opportunities arise from creating such large-scale pieces?
Abdoulaye Konaté: When I create a piece, I often forget about dimensions and the exhibition space; I focus on the concept and the idea itself. In that context, I always seek to occupy as much space as possible to express myself. While I can also express myself through smaller works, most of my current pieces tend to be monumental.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
How do you consider the viewer’s experience and interaction with space when creating large-scale works?
Abdoulaye Konaté: This is a challenging question because when you have an idea, you don’t immediately think of the audience; you’re more focused on how to express yourself so the audience can understand. While the public is a secondary consideration, my primary focus is solving the artistic challenge before connecting with the audience.
As a Malian artist working internationally, how has your perspective on cultural identity and heritage evolved?
Abdoulaye Konaté: I consider myself fortunate; Mali and the Sahel have been influenced by Arab culture and later by Western culture, while still holding onto our traditional African heritage. We benefit from these three cultural intersections, which allows us to understand today’s world more easily. Thanks to new technologies and media, we access the same information almost simultaneously. My work draws inspiration from the cultural identity of my country, and I would say from Africa as a whole, to address global issues.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
How do you see your role in preserving and reinterpreting West African textile traditions?
Abdoulaye Konaté: My work is inspired by a wide array of textile traditions—not just from Africa but also from the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and even Australia. I don’t limit myself to African cultures; I draw from all textile traditions around the world.
As your practice evolves, what new directions or themes are you excited to explore in the future?
Abdoulaye Konaté: We continue to evolve in our work, with each year bringing new themes and techniques that lead to different forms and expressions. The future will reveal how this will unfold.
Courtesy of Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka
Lastly, could you share the philosophy that guides your art and how you view its core importance in your life and career?
Abdoulaye Konaté: The guiding philosophy in my artistic work revolves around what I can contribute conceptually, aesthetically, and socially. I aim to create something new rather than repeat what has already been done. I draw from existing works to find new forms that resonate with my current life and career.
Abdoulaye Konaté: Sambadio is on view until the 6th of January 2025 at Efie Gallery, Dubai
©2024 Abdoulaye Konaté
Len is a curator and a contributing writer at Art Plugged, a platform for contemporary art; he also engages in web development, design, and marketing.
