Famakan Magassa: Soifs

First conceived by the 24-year-old artist while enmeshed in one of Abidjan's frequent traffic jams, Magassa’s ‘thirst,’ is not the immediate, most literal need for water - though it is a crucial issue in his native Mali and throughout much of the world. These are thirsts anchored in society, spanning from the literal to the allegorical: such as the ‘thirst for addiction,’ the ‘thirst for freedom,’ ‘virtual thirst,’ and the ‘thirst for power,’ among many others.

 

The ‘SOIFS’ appear primarily in midsize and large-scale formats, many of which incorporate collage in addition to acrylic on canvas. Varying in tone from exuberant to melancholy, they are unified by Magassa’s voice that brings together figuration, energetic abstract patterning, and dream-like settings. Certain works, such as ‘Soif de solitude’ depict a lone figure, while in others, such as ‘Soif de Justice,’ a grouping of Magassa’s distinctive subjects gambol and entwine around a giant scale on a tile floor.

 

Growing up in Mali, Magassa has borne witness to the clash of modern cultural developments and the weight of traditions. He seeks a balance between the desire for order and idealism and the reality of a society steeped in contradictions. While displaying a keen sense of observation for human behavior, Magassa maintains humor throughout, abstaining from didacticism, moralism, or denunciation. The artist deftly navigates friendly mockery, social satire, and self-reflection in a spirit that recalls the anarchic wit of nineteenth century Belgian painter James Ensor or the colorful yet penetrating social analysis of Honoré de Balzac’s ‘La Comédie Humaine.’ Magassa casts himself in the role of the griot – traveling poets, musicians, and storytellers who maintain a tradition of oral history in parts of West Africa – drawing  meaning from the irrationality and unpredictability of life.

 

The thirsts themselves are universal, while certain imagery makes specific reference to the cultural and geographical landscape of Mali. The enigmatic, undulating figures that occupy Magassa’s canvases are a direct reference to kourédougas – ritual dancers shrouded in secrecy, and a frequent subject for Magassa. The kourédougas are members of a non-religious community that follow a code of conduct and philosophy which emphasizes wisdom, righteousness, good works, and humility. Externally, they can be identified by festive and extravagant outfits of hats, feathers, objects, and jewelry that are seemingly at  odds with their measured guiding principles.

 

It is Magassa’s skill for drawing out humor and pathos from both quotidian and existential contradictions that sets his work apart. Reality will always be present in the allegory, poetry will sometimes adorn the discourse, and joyful irreverence will be an integral part of the message.

 

In collaboration with Cité Internationale Des Arts, Institut Français, 5 Mondes Gallery, and Ecole supérieure d'art et design Saint Etienne.