ABDOULAYE KONATÉ | TOLÉRANCE RELIGIEUSE

Primo Marella Gallery, Milan 

Acquired from the above by the present owner 

Le Havre, Esadhar, Abdullayé Konaté, March-April 2013

Berg en Dal, Afrika Museum, Abdoulaye Konaté: The World in Textile, November 2013-March 2014, illustrated in colour in the catalogue 

Martigny, Le Manoir De La Ville De Martigny, Dakar-Martigny: Hommage à la Biennale d'art Contemporain, June-September 2016, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Mali’s rich and culturally diverse society has heavily influenced the work of Bamako-based artist Abdoulaye Konaté. His effervescent portrayal of environmental and global socio-political issues is unrivalled, especially in his textile installations. Abdoulaye Konaté’s introduction to the arts was at the Institut National des Arts in Bamako, where he studied painting, and then further, at the Instituto Superior des Arte, in Havana, Cuba.

Since the 90s, Konaté has made a transition from working in paint to textile, and from figurative to abstract. To Konaté, there is no great difference in both media, providing that a succinct and potent message is being conveyed. The textile medium which he uses to express himself is achieved by employing the use of locally-sourced and woven bio cotton, which is then dyed. Historically, the textiles are woven by men but spun and dyed by women in his local community. Although there is a historical division in how the textiles are made, Konaté’s final work intends to bring everyone together regardless of gender, race or religion - as precisely conveyed in the present lot. In Tolerance Religieuse, Konaté appeals to the viewer for tolerance between religious and political powers in our modern society. He is able to achieve this through a decisive composition comprising of horizontal and vertical lines bisecting one another, which form a grid. The use of symbols originating from both East and West makes it recognisable by all audiences, regardless of their creed.

Being a colourist, Konaté’s works, including the present lot, are a celebration of colour. There is an element of serenity in Tolerance Religieuse, achieved through a gradating effect by layering black, grey and white fabrics. Each panel should be read as a different colour or shade of the same colour.

Konaté’s main influence in his approach of layering textiles come from the traditional layered costumes of Senufo Musicians, as well as the Kôrêdugaw ritual found in the Segou region of Mali.

Konaté’s work has been exhibited extensively in numerous international exhibitions. Major group shows include Africa Remix, whose international tour included the Centre Pompidou, Paris and Hayward Gallery, London (2004-2007), Documenta 12 (2007), Kassel and more recently The Divine Comedy, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory revisited by Contemporary African Artists at the Frankfurt Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt (2014). He is currently General Director of the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia Balla Basseké Kouyaté in Bamako.