La Terre n'a qu'un Soleil: Joana Choumali

‘La terre n’a qu’un soleil’ (The Earth only has One Sun) is an African proverb. Choosing this saying as the title of her solo exhibition in the Ivory Coast, Choumali recalls her close links to the continent where she was born and where she lives. The act of exhibiting in Abidjan stands like a comeback to ‘where everything started’, the city being a prominent source of inspiration for the series on view.

 

Observing life and the city progressively awakening as the sun rises in the sky - bathed in light and surrounded by clouds - feeds Choumali’s sensitivity and artistic practice. The see-through fabrics she superimposes onto the photograph materialise ‘the dampness, humidity and softness of the atmosphere at dawn.’

 

‘The layers of sheer fabric, which I add last, represent the dampness, humidity and softness of the atmosphere at dawn. In the morning, the dew is still present. There is this light mist. I find it very reassuring and soft. It sways me a little and welcomes me when the city is still asleep. ‘ 

– Joana Choumali

 

Choumali calls the sunrise a daily birth, a rebirth. Thus, Alba’hian, which means ‘the first light of the day’ in the Agni language, follows her quest for peace and harmony. 

 

Ultimately, through her photographs shot between Abidjan, Casablanca, Essaouira and Kyoto, Joana Choumali invites the public to take their time to contemplate the world around them.