Named after Ahmadou Bamba Mbacke, the Sufi saint and religious leader who lived from 1853 to 1927, Xaadim Bamba Mbow was born in Guédiawaye in 1988. After bagging a master’s degree in Law, Xaadim laid down the certificates, picked up a full-time career as an artist, and he’s never had to go back. “It’s not easy at all to leave your degree and focus on art,” he admits. “I knew I took a big risk, but what is life without risks?” The voice pouring out of the WhatsApp voice note fills the night with the melody of his intonation. Listening to Xaadim Bamba Mbow speak reminds me of popular social media content creator Father DMW.
“Art is my life. It’s all I love doing. I think it’s my destiny.” Xaadim was born into an environment where creativity flourishes. His father is an artist and while growing up he was always in the midst of art. Despite leaving his degree to be an artist, his time and experience as a Law student helped him to become a practicing artist in some way. “School was very important in my career. I think I’ll not be doing the art I’m doing today if I was not at school.” But is this a profitable adventure? The transition from the legal world to the art world, especially in a country like Senegal? Xaadim approves of the growth and development of the art scene in Senegal. Contemporary African artists keep rising with irresistible art outputs but the foreign voice – museums, collectors, galleries, and auction houses – still seem to be the validator of African creativity. Xaadim is however positive that this narrative is changing. He believes that the art scene in Senegal is becoming more vibrant. For example, 59 artists from across 16 African nations will be featured in the Dakar Biennale of African Contemporary Art. This event is only one of the hundreds set to take place in Dakar and across Africa over the next month. “Art is living here,” Xaadim declares, although he thinks there is still more work to be done to encourage deeper art appreciation by Senegalese locals.
“The human condition is the centre of my art. I like to deal with existential questions of time, religion and justice.” Xaadim tells me when I asked what topics he likes to explore in his works. Beyond passing cultural messages, he wants his works to share real human emotions. He uses words like emotive and heartfelt when describing his work to me.
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