Back to Culture, 2015
Acrylic on canvas
35 x 65 in.
88.9 x 165.1 cm
How to describe the movement and sound of raffia skirts shaking, spinning, and winding through space? How to describe the dancers who are at once free and in control? In Back to Culture, Abu Fofana paints a scene of women gathered in a cultural dance. The painting at once captures their individuality, but also the collective energy of synchronized, syncopated, and harmonized movement. That the women’s hair, skin, and clothing match the earth and the sky creates an enchanting aura and artistry about the women that evokes how their dance is captivating enough to fill the entirety of their stage and their community, just as they fill the entirety of this canvas.