“Children do not touch the ground, they are free and natural beings. animals symbolize the difficulties that always exist in life. Children see animals as friends and try to tame them. the power of the animal can always be controlled, it can be used.” – Alhassane Konté
Step into the artist’s world of vibrant greens, captivating forms of humans and animals alike but above all a celebration of the joys of childhood as we present “Candid Resistance”. to amplify the artist’s remarkable practice, we have set out to present two shows at our Abidjan and Abuja galleries – in an attempt to successfully weave together a formidable body of work that highlights fragile and strong elements of nature.
Image courtesy of Windsor Gallery
Alhassane’s artworks are poetic, atypical and lively staging children, flowers and animals face to face. an age-old dialogue that seems to always exist between children, nature and their immediate environments. The child instinctively knows that nature and more specifically flowers are alive and fragile just like her. it is out of the same fragility that Alhassane effortlessly brings to life the strength that concurrently exists in flowers – a harmony that he depicts in his canvases and invites the viewers to participate in.
Image courtesy of Windsor Gallery
In this exhibition, Alhassane’s combination of vibrant flora, landscapes, human and animal forms as well as his skilful manipulation of pastel toned colours bursts forth from each canvas even where subtle contrasts exist. The works are constructed through layers of acrylic, incorporating ash or wood powder onto canvas. There are palettes of vibrant greens, blues with touches of red, yellows and pinks as well as white with subtle tonal contrasts.
Image courtesy of Windsor Gallery
Through his paintings, he pursues the idea of a peaceful time, an intimate connection with the land that bears it. in his words, “la peinture? pour moi, c’est beaucoup d innocence, et la protection qu’on doit au viva nt qui nous entoure.”
Join us at any of our galleries in experiencing the organic power of art as Alhassane Konte’s masterpieces transport us to a place of unbridled delight, rekindling our connection with nature and inspire us to live with renewed purpose and appreciation for the world around us.
The exhibition is on from 27th May to 24th June 2023 in Abuja, Nigeria.
About the Artist
Alhassane Konté, (b. 1993, Kodié, Mali) also known as “Lass” is a painter that lives and works in bamako. He is a burgeoning visual artist that has quickly built a promising international career through an artistic approach that combines the exploration of childhood innocence and ecology. A graduate of the prestigious institut national des arts as well as the conservatory of multimedia arts and crafts in Bamako. Lass is part of the new generation of painters that live and work in Mali.
