Abdoulaye Konate
Malian, b. 1953
Homme Nature II, 2015
Mixed media on fabrics, 120 cm x 120 cm
Blain Southern Gallery, London
Using textiles in his work, Konate often reveal attitudes around economic and social change in Mali, and Homme Nature II is no exception. Lined with vibrant fabrics of green, blue, and yellow is a uniformly patterned background of rectangles that clashes with a foreground of dark red colors and divergent brushstrokes. Through the background, which appear a sky and a horizon, Konate shows a natural environment that is uniform and clean. In the foreground, though, this natural environment is tainted by red paint resembling blood, where atop stands a figure with a chest wound. While the cause of the man’s wound is unclear, the image focuses on how his immediate environment that is stained with bloodshed and strife contrasts a natural environment of peace and beauty. It can also be interpreted that the very things that afflict the man, such as violence or political unrest (subjects that Konate has addressed in other artworks such as Dessin d’un evenement politique, “Drawing of a Political Event”), are taking away the beauty of the natural world.
Dylan Bess ’21
Bibliography
Sow, Alioune. “Alternating Views: Malian Cinema, Television Serials, and Democratic
Experience.” Africa Today, vol. 55, no. 4, 2009, pp. 50–70. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/aft.2009.55.4.50.
This article focuses on political shifts in Mali in the late 20th century and artists that voiced their opinions through their, including Abdoulaye Konate. The text discusses a piece that Konate showed in the National Museum of Mali that spoke on violence, unrest, and democratization in Mali. Though it does not include Konate’s attitudes towards the environment, it shows one of many examples where Konate has used his art to incite change in Mali.
“Artes Mundi 2008: Abdalouye Konate.” BBC Wales Arts. Web. 2008. Accessed April 24. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/artes-mundi/pages/2008-abdoulaye-konate.shtml
This is a description of the artist presented by BBC Wales Arts about his participation in Artes Mundi 3, an art exhibition and competition in 2008. The description includes some of Konate’s focuses in his art, such as depicting economic and social scenes in Mali.
“Abdoulaye Konate.” Arena for Contemporary African, African-American and Caribbean Art.
Africanah.org. Web. Accessed April 24, 2019. https://africanah.org/abdoulaye-konate-2/
This website provides a selection of art pieces by Konate, including the one displayed here, with descriptions and analyses.