Emergence of painting
The plastic arts in Mauritania are still in their infancy. Figurative art, in particular, is a relatively recent development. Figurative art was not encouraged until the 20th century, due to the Islamization of the island, the first traces of which date back to the 9th century. Fragments of 12th-century pottery have been found in Acoua, at the Antsiraka Boira burial site. The motifs used to decorate them attest to non-Islamic practices. Archaeological excavations continue to unravel this mystery.
Today, talent is multiplying. You can discover them in studio-museums or in more unexpected places. Artist Maféda presented her exhibition "Le Lagon dans les arbres", a series of acrylic paintings on canvas, at La Maison des Livres in Mamoudzou, after having hung them in the Governors' Gardens in Dzaoudzi. According to her, the tarpaulin is made for Mayotte's climate. Discover the rooms of the Comité du Tourisme and the Cavani library. Numerous restaurants lend themselves to the game, showcasing the creations of Mahorais as well as visiting artists. Gil Renaud's L'Arabesque art gallery in M'Tsapéré has been organizing the Mayotte painters' and sculptors' fair for the past ten years. This is the gallery to visit if you're looking for quality local art. The gallery owner is also a painter-illustrator.
Marcel Séjour
An exhibition by the Comoros' best-known artist was organized in September 2021 by the Conseil Départemental de Mayotte. More generally, the painter likes to share his passion with the locals. He exhibits at both the Jumbo shopping center and Mamoudzou town hall.
Marcel Séjour was born in Angers in 1948. It was during a trip to Australia in 1980 that he became familiar with painting and drawing. On his return to France, he took the English teaching exam and was offered a position in Mayotte. He stayed for over thirty years. His attachment to the island is evident in every one of his compositions. His favorite theme? Scenes of everyday life in Mayotte. Marcel paints to order and works in all formats. His large black-and-white canvases, punctuated by judicious touches of color, are strikingly realistic. On others, you can feel the sunny tones of the Indian Ocean vibrating. Marcel Séjour paints exclusively figurative motifs: portraits, animals, street scenes and still lifes, preferably in charcoal and oil paint. Since 2021, he has returned to his native Vendée.
Papajan and the street art wave
Diversity is encouraged by cultural policies. In Mayotte, as elsewhere, urban art is enjoying a boom that will not escape the traveler's notice. Calls for projects are a resounding success, and there's no doubt that talented graffiti artists will emerge in the public space. In recent years, the Hip Hop Evolution association has embellished the staircases in Mamoudzou's neighborhoods. This collaborative project was supported by the Centre national des arts plastiques, as well as the associations Stéréophonk and Street Art sans frontières. Before that, in 2014, one of the most emblematic: Jace's fresco at Majicavo prison. Originally from Réunion Island, Jace stands out for his gouzous, his little faceless characters often depicted in tenderly humorous situations.
A leading figure in Mahoran street art, Papajan has been expressing himself on the walls of Cavani and beyond for two decades. Born to a Dutch father and a Zimbabwean mother, Papajan was seven years old when his family moved to Mayotte. From an early age, he loved to surround himself with visual artists, poets and musicians. In 2001, the Rasta graffiti artist even created the "Utamaduni" association to facilitate access to art for as many people as possible. On the boules pitch near the Cavani stadium, the artist has painted a maki playing pétanque. Why a maki? To this question, he replies that "everyone can recognize themselves in this animal, whether you're black, M'Zungu or other". Despite the difficulty of obtaining cans of paint, Papajan has not finished brightening up the streets. And make a school..
Sculpture
The woodwork here is at the crossroads of craft and art. The natural materials, skilfully carved, are also meaningful. In the small village of Iloni, at the end of a narrow street, lies the workshop of Conflit, "paradoxically traditional and atypical". This brilliant Mahoran, Bacari Mouhamadi by name, shapes different species of trees such as mango, bamboo, coconut, badamier and jackfruit. Under the name of Conflit, this young artist makes it his duty to pass on the traditions. To create his totem-inspired figures, he carves and assembles his natural materials using ancient instruments. In love with his native island, Conflit insists on the need to relay the values of Mayotte. As he likes to point out, the perfumed island is still a young culture. He willingly opens the door of his workshop in Iloni.
Maritime inspiration
To better understand the history of Mayotte, the MUMA - Musée de Mayotte de Petite-Terre offers an excellent overview of its many facets. Due to a lack of relics, the collection focuses on the sea, and a little less on cultural exchanges. But what artist would not be inspired by the lagoon? Photographers are not mistaken. The turquoise expanse and the seabed are inexhaustible subjects for them. Photographer Thierry Cron has exhibited images from his book Mayotte, l'âme d'une île (2020, Éditions des Autres.) at the Orangerie du Sénat in Paris, offering a total immersion experience through panoramas, scenes of life and local characters. Vie d'artisan is a young collective of photographers and painters from Mayotte. Its aim is to showcase the treasures of Mayotte through their work. Stay tuned!
