SOUROUNDOU – EINTOPF
The image depicts a man with dreadlocks, a living embodiment of African identity, seated cross-legged against a dark, textured background. His serene yet powerful presence evokes a balance between tradition and modernity. He wears multiple necklaces and bracelets, adorned with colorful beads and motifs inspired by the Sahel and West Africa, expressing a deep cultural rootedness. His joined hands, positioned before him in a gesture of creative meditation, reveal a moment of inner focus and spiritual connection with his art. White symbols painted on his shoulders represent cultural fusion and the harmonious dialogue between different peoples. At his feet lie two symbolic objects: a microphone, embodying modern music, and a calabash, a traditional instrument and emblem of the Souroundou project. Together, they bridge ancestral oral heritage and contemporary artistic expression. The man’s gaze, fixed on these objects, conveys the meeting point between heritage and creation. | © Mabida Mawulé ATTIOGBE– KPAKPO
In another composition, the man is framed by a full moon, a metaphor of hope and rebirth. He wears a Sahelian straw hat and holds a golden-hued calabash, whose tone recalls the gold color of the German flag, symbolizing intercultural dialogue between Africa and Europe. His partially illuminated body emerges from a deep black background, distinguishing the unseen creative process from the visible performance shared with the audience. Positioned at the center, the man becomes the allegory of all African artists, carriers of diverse creative identities yet united by a shared vision. The hat and branches merging with the moon create a symbolic fusion of nature, spirituality, and imagination, reinforcing the surreal and contemplative atmosphere of the work. His gaze, directed toward the future, embodies the hope of a new generation of artists brought together by the Souroundou project, celebrating the meeting of cultures, the memory of traditions, and the light of Africa’s artistic renewal | © Mabida Mawulé ATTIOGBE– KPAKPO
CCN-Scene | © Isaac Maman Oumarou
