The Desert Landscapes of Abdoulaye Konaté

A vast, alluring textile installation in a rich gradient of warm hues – from crimson to burnt orange, canary yellow and soft pink – occupies the central wall of Efie Gallery in Dubai. At nine metres wide and three metres tall, Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté’s Source of Light: Arabian Pattern on Ochre Background (all works 2024) evokes a desert landscape at sunset whilst also paying homage to the proud tradition of West African textiles that uphold its beauty and abundance. Created from woven and dyed materials native to Konaté’s homeland, the work was commissioned for ‘Sambadio’, the artist’s first solo exhibition in the Middle East.

Konaté’s latest works are rife with symbolism. Celestial elements such as the moon, sun and stars appear on contrasting textile backgrounds; evening colours of indigo blue and black interact with vibrant hues of red and ochre, alluding to the day. Each work pays tribute to the homelands of the Bedouins, often referred to as the ‘blue men’ of the Sahara and Sahel for the indigo colour of their clothing. In Source of Light, the central form of a setting sun is placed directly on top of a series of vertical geometric forms and patterns, inspired by traditional Bedouin textile craftsmanship that can be found in Arabian carpets and tents. The incorporation of such artistic motifs draws parallels between the Arabian Bedouins and Konaté’s native West Africa. Whilst little has been exhibited regarding the historical and contemporary influences between the two regions, their cultural exchange dates as far back as the eighth century.

The title ‘Sambadio’ was inspired by the final track of the late Malian musician Ali Farka Touré’s iconic album Le Jeune Chansonnier du Mali (The Young Chansonnier of Mali, 1976). The song celebrates the resilience of West African farmers, acknowledging their close relationship to the land – a sentiment reflected in Konaté’s rich oeuvre. Konaté and Touré knew each other well, since the musician would regularly come to the artist’s hometown of Diré to rehearse with his guitarist brother, Gaoussou Konaté. ‘Sambadio’, Konaté explains to me on the phone from Bamako, is about bravery amidst hard physical labour. The song refers to a shared cultural legend of the Peulh (or Fula) and Songhai people, predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in West Africa, in which farmers from both tribes would courageously tend to the land in harsh conditions, including extreme temperatures and intense droughts, encouraging men and women to transcend earthly challenges.

Source of Light is flanked by two smaller textile pieces: Tuareg Pattern on a Blue Background of the Sahel and the Sahara and Maghreb Motif on Blue Background, featuring cascades of vibrant blue hues. Konaté has long used African textiles in his work as a means of communication. The artist cuts up, sews and dyes pieces of fabric, largely cotton, before reassembling them into large-scale, vibrantly coloured tapestries, mesmerizing the viewer with their striking optical effects. Elsewhere, the greyscale work Arabian Motifs on a Grey Background evokes a sense of meditative contemplation as well as of melancholic alienation, mirroring emotions one might experience amid an expansive desert landscape.

The works in ‘Sambadio’ are uniquely cross-cultural in aesthetic and meaning. Konaté has seamlessly merged elements found in both geographies by coupling Bedouin motifs with his signature use of West African textiles. It is also a show about light – both natural and metaphorical. These works are defined by their mesmerizing gradients of colour and their resulting optical illusions resembling the night sky that provides the Bedouins with guidance. Similar to the lyrics of Touré’s iconic song, Konaté’s textiles inspire courage amidst hardship.

Abdoulaye Konaté’s ‘Sambadio’ is on view at Efie Gallery, Dubai, until 6 January 2025

_{Main image: Abdoulaye Konaté, Source of Light: Arabian Pattern on Ocre Background, 2024, textile, 9 × 3 m. Courtesy: Efie Gallery and Desire Ameka}