AMADOU SANOGO

Amadou Sanogo, born in 1977 in Segou, Mali, hails from a lineage of noble and farming Sénoufo ancestors who founded the commune of Zangorola in the Sikasso area, south of Mali, which was once part of the Kénédougou Kingdom (Country of light). The area is steeped in history and known for its legendary kings Tiéba and Babemba Traoré, who resisted the French colonial army's invasion of Mali. He is the heir of a land that symbolizes resistance and is rich in artistic patrimony.
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Against the expectations of his noble background, Sanogo pursued his passion for the arts instead of a vocation in engineering and studied at the Institut National des Arts in Bamako. Frustrated with the academic training, Sanogo pursued his own artistic research and learned the traditional technique of Bogolan, an iconic fabric of Malian culture, before developing his own language in painting. His artistic direction led to a collaboration with Simon Njami and Pascale Marthine Tayou in 2006, after which he received support from Abdoulaye Konaté, artist and director of the INA. Sanogo paints on unstretched, repurposed cloth found at his local market, paying homage to his cultural roots and transposing them into both medium and subject matter. Drawing on his Malian upbringing, Sanogo delves into the tender and nuanced matters of global politics, journalism and the justice system.

A humanist and free-thinker, inspired by tradition, which he regards as a source of knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration, Sanogo is particularly fascinated by Bambara proverbs, which he believes are essential to understanding the diverse Malian culture. Sanogo is respected by his peers for his objectivity and listening skills, qualities he has demonstrated from a young age. In 2014, he opened the Atelier Badialan in the heart of the Wahhabi area, where he welcomes young artists. This studio is the first of its kind in Bamako, where artists can independently finance their living and working space, create together in a spirit of emulation, and share their knowledge with the public

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