The Dakar Biennale 2024: A new era for Design and Contemporary Crafts in Africa
Chairs, tables, stools, armchairs, lighting fixtures, fashion silhouettes, and textile compositions are new categories integrated into the official selection of the Dakar Biennale, visible at the former courthouse in Dakar until December 7. Inaugurated a week ago, this fifteenth edition marks a significant turning point for contemporary creation in Africa.
For the first time, the official program includes a section dedicated to design. Under the curatorship of Ousmane Mbaye, a self-taught Senegalese designer, the biennale enriches its exhibition offerings with new creative sectors that highlight the interconnection between contemporary art, design, fashion, and the diversity of crafts in Africa.
Since its first edition in 1990, the Dakar Biennale has established itself as an essential platform for contemporary artistic creation in Africa. In nearly 35 years, it has become an unmissable event bringing together creative professionals from the continent and its diaspora: a unique space for exchange in contemporary creation. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's opening speech attests to this, paying tribute to the great departed figures of the Senegalese scene, such as painter Ndoye Douts and sculptors Issa Samb and Ousmane Sow.
Under the theme "The Wake – L'éveil, le sillage", this edition is designed as a bridge between the past and the future, highlighting cultural heritage while integrating new emerging voices, said Marieme Ba, Secretary General of the Biennale. According to her: "Art is a powerful means of raising awareness and change, capable of opening dialogues about our realities."
What can be seen in this design section?
The selection of chairs, tables, lighting fixtures, clothing, and textile works showcases the talents, know-how, and crafts that make the continent unique, combining tradition and modernity. It thus illustrates the richness and diversity of artisanal sectors and materials that can be found on the continent.
Textile designers such as Johanna Bramble and Awa Meité stand out with creations that merge traditional techniques and modern aesthetics, testifying to the importance of textiles as a means of cultural expression.
Cheick Diallo, Bibi Seck, and Jean-Servais Somian distinguish themselves in furniture design, creating pieces that reflect a singular identity while meeting contemporary needs. Their work underlines the importance of designing objects that are aesthetic, functional, and meaningful.
The Hall Haus collective, for its part, embodies a collaborative approach to creation, bringing together various talents and workshops to create sober and timeless works that explore materials and crafts such as basketry and ceramics. Their work demonstrates how design can serve as a tool for social and cultural engagement, while fostering dialogue between different artistic disciplines and territories.
How to transform this momentum into industries?
Far from being a simple exhibition, the design section of the Dakar Biennale engages in a deep reflection on the transformation of artistic practices into real industries. This transition requires a clear vision and concerted actions to highlight cultural sectors.
Clarifying the wakes
How can we imagine the transformation of these cultural ecosystems into industries if the wakes are not clear? For Cheick Diallo, a Malian designer, design is a tool for economic development that must be accompanied by industrial transformation. For his part, Jean-Servais Somian, an Ivorian designer and sculptor, emphasizes that this transformation requires strong institutional impetus. Senegal's commitment to maintaining the Biennale, despite the challenges, is admirable but insufficient. It is crucial to create other moments of exchange to establish a continental agenda and promote the convergence of private and institutional dynamics.
Recognizing, valuing, and preserving creative practices
In this context where various cultural and artistic disciplines coexist, confusion is often perceptible between art, crafts, and artisanship. To dispel these confusions, it is essential that creative practices be recognized as full-fledged professions. In several African countries, there is no official recognition or training curriculum that detects and accompanies the diversity of professional paths in the creative ecosystem. Only those who have succeeded in these disciplines manage to value their journey, while aspirants are often perceived as resourceful individuals. To guide young people towards vocations, it is urgent to rethink professional training.
Differentiating sectoral branches
To drive effective sectoral dynamics, it is also crucial to differentiate sectors well. Economically, this differentiation is essential to professionalize and organize value creation. Although artistically, cultural and creative industries have similar dynamics, the economic reality of a painter, a furniture designer, and a fashion artisan varies considerably due to the value chain that requires thinking of effective economic models to last over time.
Interdisciplinary discussions
During this edition, several IN and OFF events initiated by Africans from the continent and the diaspora allow exploring topics such as design, training in crafts, and industrial transformation. These discussions will contribute to better understanding to serve a growing African market. Crafts that encompass various artisanal disciplines, ranging from fashion to interior design and contemporary art, is a relevant angle that can drive dynamics upstream of the value chain to break the glass ceiling that seems to hinder professionalization and transmission.
The selection of this first design section of the Dakar Biennale illustrates not only the creativity of the continent's talents but also their ability to innovate while preserving their cultural heritage. Regularly showcasing these works will contribute to redefining perceptions of crafts in the African context, attracting young talents, and promoting a vision where tradition and innovation coexist harmoniously to create economic, cultural, and social wealth.
However, to transform this momentum into profitable creative industries and create more wealth, it is imperative to establish clear recognition of crafts and encourage adapted sectoral strategies. This involves promoting educational programs, encouraging interdisciplinary discussions, and valuing cultural narratives that enrich our collective understanding and nourish convergent strategies and action plans for prosperity.