Credit: Lenora Champagne
On March 24, Mad Rose Gallery in Millerton hosted a conversation between Senegalese photographer Malik Welli and Neal Rosenthal, the gallery’s co-founder and resident of Pine Plains. The discussion came during an exhibition of emerging talent from Cotonou, a seaport and commercial capital of the West African nation of Benin.
Rosenthal, who founded Rosenthal Wine Importers in 1977, was joined in business shortly after by his partner, Kerry Madigan. Together they would go on to create one of the most respected importers of fine wines in the United States. In 2023 they established Mad Rose Gallery, primarily to display Madigan’s photography. Mad Rose has since evolved to include a rotating catalog of exhibitions.
The exhibition, “EXPO FIDJROSSÈ – Exploring the Art of Benin,” reflects the dynamic optimism Rosenthal experienced in Benin during a 2019 personal project he took part in with the Mad Rose Foundation, whose mission is to encourage and support education, entrepreneurship, artisanal production and connection to the natural world. The works on display include paintings, sculptures and mixed media from artists Anne-Marie Aplogan, Marius Dansou, Eric Mededa, Syl Loko, Mahoussie Ahodoto, Nobel Koty and Zododo Ekue.
Credit: Mad Rose Gallery
Though his work was not included in the exhibition, Welli’s participation — facilitated by his current residency as the 2024 William P. Rayner artist-in-residence at Guild Hall of East Hampton, Long Island — provided firsthand insights into the West African artistic experience. His native Senegal is not a neighbor of Benin, which is bordered by Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger, but both countries were colonized by the French. Benin was known as Dahomey before achieving its independence in 1960.
Rosenthal asked Welli if the colonial era still affects the arts. “Our communication has been controlled by colonial countries,” he replied. “Our story used to be told by other people. Now we are telling it in our voice.”
Welli opened the discussion by sharing that in his large, religious family — he is the 19th of 20 children by his father, a healer by profession — a career in the arts was not considered an option. He was expected to work in finance or accounting.
Welli spent his first few years in a Muslim school but transferred to a French school at age 12. In the course of his education, he learned multiple languages, including Arabic, French, English and Wolof. After graduating from university, he worked a finance job. His parents’ vision had been realized, Welli said, but he left everything to become an artist. His mother asked him how he planned to pay the water bill.
Welli fell in love with film in Dakar, Senegal’s capital. While he never visited museums as a child, his work would go on to be housed in several permanent collections including at the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, W.I. His photography has been exhibited across the globe including in the Netherlands, Senegal, France and the United States.
Welli noted that despite his personal success story, there is a lack of information and resources for artists in West Africa, many of whom are self-taught. “I’m so lucky that my passion brings me income,” Welli said. “Not everyone has that chance.”
Discussing the exhibition, Rosenthal pointed out how artists incorporated found materials into several of their works. In two pieces, Syl Loko created two figures from nails and pieces of tin cans; Marius Dansou’s sculptures, referencing women’s hair, were crafted from found iron; and a sculpture by Mahoussi Ahodoto — a large key shaped of metal and wood with wooden chairs attached — was his response to a period of homelessness.
In a series of four paintings by Nobel Koty, a figure seems to fade away, almost ghostlike, which led to a consideration of the spiritual aspects of the works.
Welli emphasized that spirituality and nature are important in West African art. “Our legacy is our ancestral roots — the notion of family is important,” he said. He shared that one collection of his own photographs is inspired by animism, the belief in a spiritual energy that animates the material universe.
“Who am I?” Welli asked, exploring his complex identity as a practicing African Muslim artist with a French education. In his notable series “Spiritual Phenomena,” he juxtaposes religious attire and holy sites by having his subjects hold up Mao’s Little Red Book. He said that while some people are puzzled by that, “art is not something we should explain.”
When Rosenthal brought up the subject of restitution of art objects to their countries of origin, a movement among some — although not all — museums, Welli said, “Art is not just about objects. Restitution should not just be about returning what was taken, but about being given space.” For Welli and his fellow West African artists, Mad Rose Gallery has provided just that.
The exhibition is on view through April 4 at Mad Rose Gallery, 5916 North Elm Ave., in Millerton. Malik Welli’s work can be viewed on his website: malikwelli.com.