IN CONVERSATION
Exclusive interviews with African Contemporary Artists uncovering their unique story with no filters.
Martin ABEGA : ‘We are guardians’, meeting the photographer who writes with light.
Martin ABEGA’s story is an invitation to awaken the divine within us and to reconnect with it. A photographer and multidisciplinary artist, he draws inspiration from the sacred, from tradition, and from the knowledge encountered throughout his journey. His universe weaves together body, history, and beauty—turning spirituality into substance. Recently showcased in a solo exhibition at Galerie Gondwana with Les Marques du Divin (“The Marks of the Divine”), Martin Abega shares his artistic odyssey as he revisits his most emblematic series.
Stéphanie PICARDAT: Fragments of Life, beneath the emotions, life!
In Stéphanie Picardat’s story, art was long a silent certainty, only to finally take shape, awakened by life’s upheavals. She continues a generational thread begun by her grandmother, weaving between heritage and personal expression to create a profoundly inhabited body of work. Today, her portraits—with their strong silhouettes, anchored gazes, and vibrant colors—captivate. Their intensity fascinates: a presence emerges that is at once direct and mysterious.
Ashiko RATOVO: ‘Art has a profoundly therapeutic effect’ Following the Thread of Her Destiny
We are drawn into the fluid, dreamlike world of Ashiko RATOVO (b. 1995). In just three years, the Malagasy artist has forged a distinctive language of her own — poetic, abstract, and harmonious approach to watercolor that defies convention. Ratovo moves through her practice with organic ease, guided by intuition and memory, allowing emotion to dictate form. Deeply engaged, particularly in advocating for women, she speaks with sincerity about her path, her convictions, and the quiet power that shapes her work. From Antananarivo to Paris, we step inside the intimate creative world of a rising voice in contemporary art.
Inside Zilien’s Dreamlike Worlds: A Journey to the Edge of Consciousness
Let’s dive into Zilien’s (b.1995) dreamed worlds — at once oneiric and vibrant. Born in Mauritius, he traces the invisible pathways of consciousness and invites each of us to journey into the infinity of our inner worlds. In his work, the dream extends reality like a luminous shadow, a subtle resonance embodied in his paintings and installations. Entering his universe is stepping into the antechamber of the soul, where inner landscapes and outer horizons intertwine. Zilien’s art is an experience.
Abdoulaye SOW : From Healing to Art: “Nature is our Teacher.”
The art of Abdoulaye SOW is both an ode to nature and a tribute to ancestral knowledge. Using pigments extracted from the Mbant Maré plant, a natural remedy that once healed him, SOW delves into the essence of human existence, urging us to reconnect with the Earth as a vital source of wisdom. While deeply inspired by Mother Nature, the artist draws even greater influence from his own mother, whose presence and teachings have left a profound imprint on his artistic identity. The cure lies in nature, he reminds us. We must embrace it, alongside spirituality, to reach a higher state of consciousness.
A closer look at Barry YUSUFU’s future classics
A deep thinker with a contemplative mind, Barry YUSUFU in this interview shares his reflections with Mayi Arts as we retrace the steps of his singular artistic journey. The Nigerian-born artist is currently based in London, where he is completing a Master’s degree at Central Saint Martins.
Sacred Womanhood
Inside Manyaku Mashilo’s Art exploring the healing power of ‘The Laying of Hands’
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