Scarves, hijabs and a grand boubou: unmasking identity
Souleymane Bachir Diaw’s photographs of textiles and bodies carry messages around patriarchy, domestic violence and the rituals of manhood
TL;DR
- Souleymane Bachir Diaw's art examines memory, space, and materials through research, photography, installation, and sound.
- The exhibition "Sutura" at Les Rencontres d’Arles focuses on patriarchal masculinity, rituals of manhood, and the body.
- Garments such as white cotton headpieces, embroidered grand boubous, and hijabs are used to explore discipline, endurance, and prescribed roles.
- The works question how masculinity is constructed, sustained through restraint, and how patriarchal structures assign roles of intimacy and care.
- Themes of domestic violence, silence, violence carried by beauty and authority, and the measurement of value are also explored.