Abdoulaye Konaté


Abdoulaye Konaté is a Malian artist. He was born in Diré and lives and works in Bamako.
Konaté studied painting in the Institut National des Arts de Bamako and then at the Instituto Superior de Arte, Havana, Cuba.

Career

Konaté worked as a graphic designer at the Musee National in Bamako. In 1998, he was appointed to be the Director of the Palais de la Culture. He now works as the principal of the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia Balla Fasseké Kouyaté in Bamako, Mali.
He and his work have received several awards, including in 2002 the Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mali and Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France.

Exhibitions

Solo shows

2014
2012
2010
2009
10. Bienal de La Habana - La Bienal de La Habana, Havana
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Afrika Remix - Zeitgenössische Kunst eines Kontinents - Museum Kunstpalast, Dusseldorf
1998
24° Bienal de São Paulo - Bienal de Sao Paulo, São Paulo
1997
Die Anderen Modernen : Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Afrika, Asien und Lateinamerika - Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin

Influences

Combining his painting skills with installation work, he comments on political and environmental affairs. The encroachment of the Sahel and the impact of AIDS on society and on individuals have been two major themes in his work.
His questioning of the political, social, and economic scenes in contemporary Mali is evident in how AIDS, wars, ecological issues, human rights, and globalization affects all aspects of life and individuals within society. Much of his large-scale work is textile-based, a medium that is more readily available than paints.

Artes Mundi

In 2008 Konaté was nominated for the Artes Mundi prize. His exhibition included pieces such as Les Marcheurs and Tafo ou la force du verbe.

Literature

La toile d'Abdoulaye Konaté / Joëlle Busca. - Bamako, Mali, Ministère de la culture et Dakar, Senegal, Galerie nationale d'art, 2011.
Abdoulaya Konaté / edited by Camilla Jalving... . - London, BlainSouthern and Ishøj, Arken, 2016.