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    An Ornate Stenciled Rug by Mateo Complements a Cultural Center’s Communal Rooftop in Dakar

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    All images courtesy of Mateo, shared with permission

    An Ornate Stenciled Rug by Mateo Complements a Cultural Center’s Communal Rooftop in Dakar

    August 1, 2025

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    On the rooftop of TRAMES, an artistic and cultural center in Dakar, Senegal, a vibrant new installation by Mateo creates a welcoming atmosphere above the hustle and bustle of the city. Using paint and stencils, the artist incorporated motifs familiar in Senegal culture, like traditional wrestling, bird tracks, fish, and wax fabrics.

    Mateo was also inspired by teraanga, a word in the Wolof language that loosely translates to “hospitality” but is also characterized by a much more holistic philosophy of generosity and acceptance. For hundreds of years, teraanga has shaped communities’ openness and exchange with one another, continuing today as an integral and defining facet of the Senegalese way of life.

    Mateo was invited to TRAMES for a residency, where he initially planned to paint a mural. But he was inspired by the communal rooftop space of the center and conceived instead of a large patterned carpet that evokes the teraanga ethos and celebrates Senegalese culture.

    “Rather than painting a wall, I chose to work on the rooftop terrace, a vibrant space used for gatherings, celebrations, and dance rituals,” the artist says. Painting on the carpet directly onto the ground facilitated, he adds, “a symbolic, open-air space for connection and ritual.”

    Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

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      Art

      #acrylic
      #animals
      #charcoal
      #mixed media
      #spray paint

      October 28, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “Taking a Break From Dancing to Their Tunes,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 35.4 x 23.6 inches. All images © Hera, courtesy of Corey Helford Gallery, shared with permission
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      “You Live and Learn,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 35.4 x 23.6 inches
      “Smart Rats Have a Thousand Lives,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.4 x 19.7 inches
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      “Love Her but Leave Her Wild,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 35.4 x 23.6 inches
      “Poetry Written in Fairy Language,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 27.6 x 19.7 inches

      #acrylic
      #animals
      #charcoal
      #mixed media
      #spray paint

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    • 175 Shares199 Views

      in Art

      Poignant New Works by Pejac Confront the Urgency of Global Crises in Disquieting Detail

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      Art

      #acrylic
      #activism
      #capitalism
      #climate crisis
      #oil painting
      #painting
      #spray paint

      October 20, 2021
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      “Counterweight” (2021), oil, acrylic, and spray paint on paper mounted on a wooden stretcher, 190 x 135 x 4.3 centimeters. All images © Pejac, shared with permission
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      “Drain I” (2021), oil on artist’s palette, 50 x 40 x .4 centimeters
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      Detail of “Sweet World” (2021), acrylic on honeycomb cardboard, 145 x 200 centimeters
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      Detail of “The Boss” (2021)
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      Detail of “Social Distancing” (2021), oil and acrylic on viroc, 125 x 200 x 1.2 centimeters
      Detail of “Social Distancing” (2021), oil and acrylic on viroc, 125 x 200 x 1.2 centimeters
      

      #acrylic
      #activism
      #capitalism
      #climate crisis
      #oil painting
      #painting
      #spray paint

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    • 150 Shares159 Views

      in Art

      Trompe L’oeil Textiles Billow Across Murals by Rosie Woods in Iridescent Ripples

      by

      
      Art

      #fabric
      #murals
      #public art
      #spray paint
      #street art
      #trompe l’oeil

      April 29, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “Veils of Knowledge” at Grenoble Street Art Festival in France. Photo by Andrea Berlese. All images © Rosie Woods, shared with permission
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      I often wonder what my soul would look like if it manifested itself as an object I could see and touch on this earth.  My artwork today looks to express the depth, growth, and complexity of the mind as well as its ability to encompass both light and dark spaces emotionally. I’d like to think you can “feel” my artwork with your eyes.
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      “Veils of Knowledge” at Grenoble Street Art Festival in France. Photo by Andrea Berlese
      “Veils of Knowledge” at Grenoble Street Art Festival in France. Photo by Andrea Berlese
      “Veils of Knowledge” at Grenoble Street Art Festival in France. Photo by Andrea Berlese
      Woods working at Grenoble Street Art Festival in France. Photo by Andrea Berlese
      Photo by Daniel Vaughan
      Photo by Daniel Vaughan

      #fabric
      #murals
      #public art
      #spray paint
      #street art
      #trompe l’oeil

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!

       
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