Article by Alena Sokhan in Berlin; Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015
Abdoulaye Konate – “Useful Dreams” (2015), installation view; photo courtesy of Blain Southern, copyright of Christian Gläser
The white walls of Blain Southern have been covered in color and texture by Abdulaye Konate, with a large survey of his work skillfully arranged in a show titled Useful Dreams. The saturated tones of Konate’s textile works have a dignity about them, much like the figure of Konate himself. Berlin Art Link found him moments before our interview, dressed in a fitted suit, finishing some stitching.
“Textiles are no different from pencil or paint. It provides access to color just like paint does,” Konate explains to us. He constructs an image with them like a brush, ranging from non-figurative compositions to complex political statements. He identifies these as the two dominant trends in his work, which firstly explores aesthetic elements of images, line, color, texture, and composition, then delves into the societal problems that result in the suffering of human beings. “My work is poetic and political,” he says.
Abdoulaye Konate – “Composition No. 15 (bleu-jaune)” (2014), textile, 206 x 134 cm; photo courtesy of Blain Southern, copyright of Christian Gläser
“Pain is the same substance across cultures and peoples,” Konate states. He seems fascinated with both the structural similarities that appear across cultures and the variations that one archetype can produce. He notes the recurrent use of the snake in religious stories of origin, which is consistent throughout Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His work ‘bleu no. 6 reptiles et religion’ unfolds this recurring theme. The snake appears a loosely suggestive, scaled textile form, standing in sharp contrast to the clearly identifiable symbols like the cross, the apple, or the Star of David. The viewer is nevertheless able to identify the snake, indicating the power of the association we have to distinguish the reptilian image among the folds of textile pieces.
Konate’s work and recurring elements and patterns are inspired by costumes of important members of Malian society, like the Hunter or the Musician. He explains to us that it is not specifically Malian figures that interest him, nor is it their role. He is fascinated with all members of societies that are responsible for preserving culture, who function as containers for tradition.
Abdoulaye Konate – “Useful Dreams” (2015), installation view; photo courtesy of Blain Southern, copyright of Christian Gläser
The compositional weight of Konate’s images is often located at the top of the work, creating a sense of suspension. This recurring sensation is repeated in the rows of cloth strips that Konate uses in his non-figurative works, as well as the hanging charms and amulets that reappear often. When we ask about this, he brightens and immediately picks up a pencil, sketches out shoulders and the spine of an upright human form in two quick lines. This, he explains to us, is the structural elements of the figure that draws our attention, that we use to recognize a person in the distance. This form with the visual weight at the top also forms the Cross, which is both a symbolic and an indexical image of humanity.
Abdoulaye Konate – “Useful Dreams” (2015), installation view; photo courtesy of Blain Southern, copyright of Christian Gläser
Konate’s works unpack the complexities of symbols, looking among repeated tendencies throughout societies, at the most basic fact that we use symbolic imagery to convey meaning. He attempts to access a collective memory, a universal alphabet of culture that erases geopolitical borders.
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Additional Information
BLAIN SOUTHERN
“USEFUL DREAMS” – ABDOULAYE KONATÉ
Exhibition: Feb. 07 – Apr. 08, 2015
Potsdamer Straße 77-87 (click here for map)
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Alena Sokhan is working on her Masters in Media and Communications at the European Graduate School. Her research interests lie in the topics of Queer Theory, Critical Theory, Film and New Media Art, and Economics.
