Aliou Diack, a painter from Senegal, is making waves in the contemporary art world with his unique artistic approach. Using natural materials such as roots, leaves, and earth-derived pigments, Diack recreates on canvas landscapes inspired by the forest of his childhood. His work, positioned between art and ritual, questions the connection between humans and nature, a relationship often overlooked in the modern era.
Art rooted in childhood
To understand Aliou Diack’s work, one must trace it back to the roots of his childhood. Born in Sidibougou, a village in Senegal, Diack recalls his daily journeys through the forest to reach school. “Back then, all we knew was the forest and the earth,” he says. These solitary walks, filled with silence and mystery, now permeate his paintings. Each canvas seems to evoke the muffled sounds of invisible animals, the whisper of wind through trees, or the shades of ochre and green that colored his childhood memories.
A unique approach : painting with nature
What sets Diack apart from other contemporary artists is undoubtedly his way of working with materials. Instead of using brushes or industrial paints, the artist prefers to collect natural elements, often ground into powder by shamans, to create his works. “I want the pigments and shapes to absorb the canvas, for it to disappear beneath nature,” Diack explains. In a gesture reminiscent of prehistoric art, he spreads his canvas directly on the ground, allowing it to interact with the wind, rain, and other natural forces…
