I was born into a creative family of French-Senegalese descent, where my earliest artistic expressions took the forms of music, graphic design, and artistic direction. However, it was a pivotal encounter with North-American photographer Peter Beard (1938-2020) that profoundly transformed my life, guiding me towards becoming a photographer in my own right and teaching me invaluable practical lessons.
I’ve long been an observer of photography’s traditional gaze on women’s bodies, and this perspective led me to a mission: to be a catalyst in deconstructing its sexist and racist legacy. Since 2014, I’ve been crafting a visual language that not only empowers myself but also the women who become the heroines and protagonists of my work.
My journey began by photographing friends and family members, transforming them into goddesses—an homage to what I call the “divine female body.” To give shape to my vision of these women, I utilized body paint, jewelry, and various attires.
Understanding the responsibility that comes with representing others, I’ve centered ethics in my practice, forming enduring relationships and collaborations with my subjects. Over the years, I’ve developed a photographic style that incorporates spiritual symbols, invoking mythology to establish a rightful place for black women in the pantheon of legends. My work aspires to elevate my subjects by creating new narratives and legends, challenging and redefining the historical genre of portraiture.
Behind my carefully composed images lies a wellspring of inspiration derived from diverse sources, including my practice of martial arts and its connection to the body, non-Western literature, and deep research into spirituality and science.
More recently, I’ve delved into the potentialities of self-portraiture, translating mental images and lucid dreams into meticulously staged scenes. My exploration encompasses both digital and analogue photography, as well as an expansion of my creative tools through AI, drawings, and found imagery. I’ve ventured into the world of collages and montages, broadening my storytelling capabilities. In my own words, “Image-making is my space for acceptance, integrity, wisdom, beauty, strength, faith, mystery, and the universal matter.”
Through my work, I’ve carved out my unique way of “gazing back,” celebrating black women. Beyond preconceived notions, I aim to provide inclusive and transnational representations, envisioning a future matriarchal society.
I present provocative visuals and construct innovative iconographies to engage viewers on both political and imaginative levels.
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