Omar Ba

Senegalese artist looks at hard truths while encouraging us to pursue a better future.

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Senegalese artist Omar Ba hits a nerve with works that focus on corruption, racism and other human failings. His paintings, on view at Contemporary Calgary until Jan. 31, come at a pivotal time during the Black Lives Matter movement and amidst ongoing threats to democracy and the environment.

Although his exhibition, Same Dream, organized and circulated by Toronto’s Power Plant, depicts warlords, dictators and the troubled legacies of colonialism, it also includes works that celebrate the hopes and aspirations of African youth and their communities. 

Born in 1977, Ba studied at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Dakar before earning a Master’s degree at the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Geneva. He now splits his time between the two cities.  

When Ba began his studies in Geneva, his work shifted from abstract to figurative, giving him a better vehicle to communicate hard-hitting narratives about migration, corruption, war, racism and climate change.

His large-scale paintings strive to integrate multiple time, spatial and psychological realities by juxtaposing elaborate, skilfully painted vignettes and biting commentary. The overall effect is both haunting and mesmerizing.

Icy blues and vivid reds are set against black backgrounds with white accents. Ba uses sustainable materials like corrugated cardboard and kraft paper that are readily at hand but also place his work within larger African art traditions of incorporating recycled materials. 

In contrast to Western approaches, Ba darkens his surfaces with matte black before building complex compositions using myriad media, including pencil, ink, gouache and oil and acrylic paint.

This imbues his paintings with a nocturnal quality, but also reflects his desire to reclaim and celebrate blackness while challenging Eurocentric views about whiteness as a pure base or superior colour.

What emerges is a fascinating symphony of vibrant colours, lush textures, delicate lines and ornamental patterning that create dream-like imagery shimmering against ubiquitous blackness. 

While the paintings can be disturbing, their opulence and beauty offer respite while encouraging a deeper engagement with difficult topics.

For example, Afrique, pillage, arbres, richesses, confronts viewers with a lion-faced man of monumental stature, a symbol for military might. His left hand holds a coin, symbolizing the human propensity for greed and corruption. It’s a poignant message. But rather than hitting us hard, Ba persuades us to contemplate these difficult truths through his delicate rendering of the lion’s face, opulent clothing and decorative surroundings.

The paintings featuring warlords, dictators or terrorists share one repeating theme. Their eyes are closed, hollowed out or shaded by sunglasses. If the eyes are the window into the soul, these images remind us that those who abuse power are often lost or soulless creatures who turn a blind eye or hide their malice.

In contrast are paintings that reflect Ba’s affirmative aspirations for the future. One example, centred within the gallery, is Team. This piece was created on a stack of boxes that read as both painting and sculpture. Here, four boys huddle together, heavily grounded, staring at viewers with wide eyes and optimism. This youthful imagery symbolizes community, a team seemingly working together to achieve a higher purpose or common goal. 

Ba’s ideas about collectivity are reiterated in Eternal Resemblance 1, where individual, dual or familial shadow figures are connected via interlinked rivers or streams punctuated by red fibrous veins, a reference to blood lines. Repetitive green leaves emphasize rejuvenation and fertility. It’s a profoundly moving image that inspires hope through the strength and power of community.

Ba is a visionary artist. His beautiful and intriguing testimonies about human destruction encourage us to look deeper and remain focused on creating a better future. ■ 

Omar Ba: Same Dream at Contemporary Calgary from to Sept. 17, 2020 to Jan. 31, 2021.

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