Omar Ba: Merging Myth, Identity, and Power Through a Vibrant Lens
Discover Omar Ba’s Kaïdara exhibition at Templon Gallery, where the Senegalese artist blends myth, politics, and vibrant textures to explore identity, power, and global narratives in contemporary art.
Omar Ba: Blending Myth and Modernity in Kaïdara on view at Templon Gallery Paris
Born in 1977 in Senegal to a Serer father and a Peul mother, Omar Ba’s artistic journey traverses continents and traditions.
Omar Ba’s art vibrates with allegory, collapsing borders between myth and reality, tradition and modernity, inviting us to see the world through his intricate, textured lens.
His training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Dakar and later at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Geneva laid the groundwork for his practice, which melds African and Western influences into a richly textured visual language.
Ba’s art draws on his multicultural background, reflecting both the heritage of his upbringing and the globalized realities of contemporary life.
Currently living between Senegal and Switzerland, Ba creates works that are as introspective as they are universal.
Kaïdara: A Contemporary Allegory
Omar Ba’s latest exhibition, Kaïdara, at Templon Gallery in Paris, presents a series of nearly 40 works inspired by the Peul allegorical tale collected by Malian writer Amadou Hampâté Bâ.
The story of Kaïdara, rich with symbolism and spiritual lessons, becomes a lens through which Ba explores the intersection of myth, philosophy, and African realities.
Dominique Catherina Foertig
Templon Gallery New York -> Currently -> Hans Op de Beeck
Ba’s canvases begin with dark, brooding backgrounds—black, yellow, and orange—out of which emerge intricate hybrid figures and motifs.
His vivid colors, layered textures, and dreamlike compositions evoke a poetic cosmogony, drawing viewers into a world that is both ancient and strikingly contemporary.
The exhibition is not merely an illustration of the tale but a deep exploration of identity, knowledge, and materialism.
It challenges audiences to reflect on the deeper meanings of myths and their relevance in today’s world.
Omar Ba’s work often addresses broader themes of global significance, including international politics, demographic shifts, societal transformations, and the environment.
His art critiques systems of power, questioning who holds authority and how it is wielded.
Through metaphorical and dreamlike imagery, Ba draws attention to the position of the African continent in a globalized world, highlighting both its challenges and its contributions.
In Kaïdara, the figures—both human and animal—are imbued with allegorical meaning, serving as conduits for Ba’s reflections on leadership, community, and resilience.
A chameleon, a scorpion, and other fantastical entities populate his canvases, each symbolizing philosophical insights that extend beyond the African context, resonating with universal questions of morality and aspiration.
Ba’s artistic process is as layered as his themes. Using a mix of acrylic, ink, oil, pen, and pencil, he crafts dense, tactile surfaces that captivate the viewer’s eye.
Each canvas is a labor-intensive exploration of texture and detail, where the foreground and background vibrate with equal intensity.
Ba rejects traditional notions of perspective, creating compositions that telescope scales and collapse hierarchical distinctions between human, animal, and vegetal forms.
This unique approach embraces hybridity, blending techniques, materials, and cultural references to create new visual languages.
Ba’s works are deeply rooted in African artistic traditions while also engaging with global contemporary dialogues, positioning him as a bridge between histories, cultures, and artistic movements.
Omar Ba has gained recognition in the international art world, with his works showcased in renowned institutions such as the Centre Pompidou, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Musée National d’Art Moderne.
His participation in major exhibitions like Global(e) Resistance at the Pompidou and the Biennale of Dakar highlights his role in shaping conversations about African art’s place in the global narrative.
In Kaïdara, Ba builds on his exploration of mythological storytelling to engage with contemporary issues.
The exhibition highlights his skill in weaving personal, cultural, and political themes into a unified narrative that speaks to a wide audience.
His work shows that myths are not just remnants of the past but active tools for making sense of the present and envisioning the future.
Exhibition Details
- Title: Kaïdara
- Venue: Templon Gallery, 28 Rue du Grenier-Saint-Lazare, 75003 Paris
- Dates: October 30 – December 21, 2024
- Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM – 7 PM
- Instagram : Omar BA
What’s Happening at Templon Galleries Around the World: Current Exhibitions You Shouldn’t Miss:
Dominique Catherina Foertig
Templon New York
Dominique Catherina Foertig
Templon Gallery Paris
