Artist, Bamako
Aboubakar Fofana was born in Mali and moved to France at an early age. As a child in West Africa, he was told of stories of green leaves that made blue colours. Years later, already an established calligrapher, artist and graphic designer living in France, he recalled such stories and embarked on a dedicated journey to understand indigo and his West African heritage. Working with a living medium such as indigo, his work harnesses cycles of birth, life and decay, as well as the seasonal rhythms of nature. His indigo vats are alive, thus his challenge is to understand and work with the living organisms that live within so that they may produce a stunning array of blue tones. In addition to the traditions of fermented indigo dyeing, Fofana is also invested in the preservation of other West African textile techniques and indigenous materials.