For the primary time, Senegalese artisans from the Soumbedioune crafts market showcased their work on the prestigious Dakar Biennale of Up to date African Arts, an occasion that has celebrated African creativity since 1989. Regardless of their cultural significance, native craftsmen have been traditionally excluded from the Biennale. Nonetheless, curators Kemi Bassène and Khadim Ndiaye modified that this 12 months, extending invites to 5 artisans. The artisans have been requested to interpret the theme “hippo” due to the animal’s recognition throughout the continent. The artisans – a sculptor, a painter, a jeweler, a leatherworker, and an upholsterer – went to work and produced distinctive creations like an enormous picket sculpture of a sleeping hippo, a hippo-shaped bag, and hippo-shaped jewellery. The exhibition, held in Soumbedioune’s central sq., highlighted the artisans’ craftsmanship and gave them well-deserved recognition. Their inclusion displays a broader shift towards embracing conventional artistry inside fashionable African design.
SOURCE: AP NEWS