As if by... enchantment

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Her unique, predominantly monochromatic visual language is built around the deconstruction of subjects that serve as essential witnesses to the mysterious states of her femininity in context... within a world waiting to be conquered.

 

It might seem easy to align Kiné Aw's artistic work with some movement from the first quarter of the 20th century, particularly around the geometrization of volumes, where bodies are structured — or rather deconstructed — breaking free from traditional frames to better amplify the emotional line, the 'line of the soul.'

 

Cubism’s primary inspiration was the fascinating perspective of African masks. Meanwhile, the surrealist rejection of conventional thinking reclaims a particular African view of the world. Therefore, perhaps it would be most appropriate to place Kiné Aw’s work within this shared cultural framework — a fundamental thread that runs through her practice, embracing one reference or another along the way. The world, after all, belongs to those who navigate it.

 

These guiding elements provide a natural basis for grasping the profound complexity of Kiné Aw’s artistic offering. She aligns herself with the School of Dakar, which transcends conventional paradigms such as asymmetric parallelism or the so-called 'Negro-African palette.' This school is found in the bridges built by visual artists who express the cultural essence of people in their environments — men and women in context — while also addressing the mysterious aspects of human nature, across all horizons, even as we await encounters with Martians.

 

Kiné Aw is a Senegalese artist who spent part of her upbringing in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). From an early age, she was captivated by 'the raw, mesmerizing beauty of tribal masks and the poetry emanating from bronze-forged sculptures.' Her artistic world, rooted in centuries-old traditions, has been shaped by academic training at Dakar’s School of Arts and essential research into African creations at a university institute. These influences, however, do not constrain the artist, who has deliberately chosen her forms and palette, which she likens to the veined textures of marble.

 

Her palette, therefore, feels stony. Nevertheless, occasional bursts of both cool and warm tones offer subtle variations. This tonal sobriety allows viewers to focus on scenes of life, often depicting female figures, either alone or paired with men who serve more than just as decorative elements.

 

At times, Kiné’s work feels botanical. Other times, it becomes galactic to her liking, magmatic in certain moments, carried by the evening air currents, and fluid on some mornings. Through these rhythmic shifts, she creates essential breathing spaces for the introspections she explores on canvas. Women in context — one of her preferred themes — are depicted with a beauty corrupted by the pain of motherhood, domestic violence, or broader social injustices.

 

During a certain phase of her art, these women were caught in moments of deep, inner cries. After a transitional exhibition, Kemtaan, focused on the theme of the marvelous, the artist seemed to find more serene expressions. Thus, her first major solo exhibition in Senegal in late 2020, marking 15 years of her career, was remarkable.

 

In this current exhibition, her Njeguemar — a figure with two faces — demands to be viewed from multiple angles. Its finesse unfolds like a fan, revealing different perspectives, and captivates with its oudjat eye, the protective eye of the falcon god Horus.

 

Another female figure presented as a fan appears deceptively frozen in deep thought. Deceptive, because her braided hair becomes a form of script that increasingly emerges in Kiné Aw's work, creating fascinating neural connections.

 

Her painting Anaphore masterfully blends metaphor with reflection.

Her characters watch us, her flower-eyes gaze back, as if to deflect attention from the artist herself — as if to ensure that she remains unseen, or at least not too visible.

 

Kiné Aw plays with the viewer of her works. She echoes, perhaps unknowingly, Simonides of Ceos, who advised his fellow citizens to treat life as a game. The Greek poet understood that art is the only medium capable of transforming misery into joy.

 

The Senegalese artist invites us to confront the complexities, depths, and mysteries of the human condition. Enchantement is the outcome of a patient renewal of her practice, continuing her commitment to both rootedness and openness.

 

Enchantement is also the story of a long dream that has taken shape: a manifesto for African cultures.

 

A certain way of enchanting the world."

 

Massamba Mbaye, Curator