African Series

Featured Project

Educate a woman and you educate a village

Women: artistic approach
2014: The launch of “Eve” Angélique Kidjo new album. A small private gathering behind studio doors, the artist presents her album, shares her culture, her joys, her sorrows, but above all the challenges she encounters by trying to instigate a change of mentalities; and this, to promote a better future for the women she meets in villages during her travels on the African continent. Such an engaged speech could only be a source of inspiration for the artist in me, who believes that life must be celebrated.
Women of influence
It is with full awareness of being myself heir to the courage and determination of women who came before me. Ruby Bridges and her participation in the movement for civil rights has helped pave the way to greater respect for thousands of people after her. To obtain simple human rights to education access.
As for Cesária Evora, one of many women who have distinguished themselves on the African continent, it is her immutable authenticity that touched me. No preconceived view of what femininity prevented her from being herself and singing barefoot on stage. Cesária seemed to live to satisfy her own happiness, not that of agents, or of an audience.  The unique beauty of this woman of character seemed  worthy of being immortalized in stone.
African dance
In my eyes, there is nothing like capturing a moment of grace in the clay and feeling the ecstasy of the dancer come alive in my hands. The dancers are an ode to beauty, a celebration of the pure expression of innate joy. Near their roots, but still in motion, these women whose waving of their twirling dresses are frozen in time.