Echoes of Ancestral Wisdom: 'Down to Earth' Exhibition with Bandoma, Degan, and Diallo

On November 11th at 4pm we will open the group exhibition “Down to earth”, showing the works of Steve Bandoma (DR Congo), Julien Degan (Benin) and Thierno Diallo (Mali).

‘Down to earth’ is a trio exhibition of 3 seasoned solo artists posing their views on the ancient lessons learned on humanity over thousands of years. Coming from different African societies (Congo, Benin and Mali), they pose their views on what matters to humanity through their ink on paper paintings, burned wall sculptures and wooden sculptures, using the documentary film “Down to earth” (see https://downtoearthfilm.com/) as a source of inspiration. The documentary registers the 5-year journey of a western couple with their 3 young kids, who set out to live with indigenous people around the globe and record the visions of their leadership (the so-called keepers of the earth), on contemporary societies and their disastrous relation to nature. Degan, Diallo and Bandoma dived into their own roots, returning with a mixture of abstract and almost tribal sculptures and layered pictural commentaries by ink on paper works. The common denominator in their works is the call for a new balance.

• Down to Earth is on view from November 11 to January 20
• The works can also be viewed on our website, on Artnet and in our Artsy viewing room.

Participating artists

• Steve Bandoma (DR Congo): Ink on paper paintings
• Julien Degan (Benin): Burned wall sculptures
• Thierno Diallo (Mali): Wooden sculptures