COOL DIABANG & SONJA KANDELS

Diabang’s work sweeps different worlds combining the mystical, imaginary, and real. Although he explores these worlds through various artistic disciplines, there is a movement, energy and rhythm drummed into all of them. His performances reveal actions clearly apparent in the paintings and the paintings capture a mood evident in the performances. The different disciplines feed into each other so strongly that the performative act of doing becomes as important, if not more important, than the end result. Diabang works the subject, throwing himself in to become embodied in the work.

Faces and figures emerge throughout Diabang’s imagery and textures of paint leave dense, yet abstract spaces surrounding them. The actions of the figure are unclear, blurred by impromptu painterly gestures and outbursts, yet there is still a strong feeling of a mood in each piece which tells a bigger story overall. While there is a lot of movement inherent within the making of these works, Diabang’s paintings do not capture one section of time like a photograph would; instead they reveal an overall atmosphere, rich with emotion.

Biography:

Born in Senegal, Cool Diabang is currently based in Renne, France. Diabang’s recent exhibitions include TUFA Art Center, Trier, Germany, Galerie Vie de Chien, Dinan, France, Kino Kino Museum, Sandness, Norway and Wechselrum 3, Rudolf-Steiner-Haus, Bonn, Germany. Diabang also co-organised TAWI (Tuki Artiste Workshop International) for the Dak’Art Off, 2016, Senegal.

INSTAGRAM