An interview with visual artist Agnes Tebdou, based in the capital of Burkina Faso, abou her work in art collage and female identity.

I would like to start with a question about the technique of collage and her way of communicating with the viewer. How do you use visual collage as a communication medium?

For me, visual collage is a means of artistic communication that consists of composing various visual elements such as images, text, drawings or textures to create a unique composition. Collage can express rich ideas and emotions that words alone often cannot. The combination of styles, colours and shapes captures the viewer’s attention and arouses their curiosity. In my work I use images that evoke memories and emotions. This makes the message more accessible and memorable. Our country is currently going through a security crisis. Collage is a way to denounce or raise awareness of social and political issues. What themes do you communicate through visual collage? The image of women is omnipresent in many of my art works. I also deal with themes such as love, political power (traditional chieftaincy), forgiveness, coexistence, tolerance and climate change.

You also deal with the depiction of women and their role in society, emancipation, the search for balance, you are also interested in everyday life. I show the woman as mother, the woman as activist (fighter, worker), the woman as nurturing the womb, the woman as the support of humanity. Do you see female identity as a collage, as a final whole composed of individual components?

A person’s identity is made up of several interdependent elements that reflect their uniqueness and belonging to different groups or communities. Women play a central role in all ethno-cultural communities and in the entire cultural sphere of Burkina Faso – in the upbringing of children, as they transmit moral and cultural values to them, in house work (cooking, household and family management), in work with children and in cultural ceremonies (weddings, rites of passage and funeral rites). The Burkinabé woman is considered the pillar of the family. The world of women has yet to be explored and discovered in its fullness.

Who are the women you depict?

The women I depict are women from all over the world, especially from Burkina Faso. I depict women who embody courage, humility, determination and love. They are women from the cities and rural areas of Burkina Faso. Our heroines, mothers, sisters, they are our role models.

In your work you use a variety of materials such as fabric, thread stitch, paint, recycle objects, insert natural materials such as plants and grasses, thus adding plasticity to your images. What led you to add different materials to your works?

The elements I add are materials I find in nature. Besides the artistic aspect, it is a way to fight climate change and protect nature. It’s a way to bring all these objects back to life.

What artistic means do you use to express your female identity?

The expressive means I use show different aspects of femininity. That’s why I use drawing, painting, sculpture and fashion (I am originally a seamstress). All these means help me to enrich my understanding of feminine identity.

You’re a seamstress by profession. You live and work in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. What was your path to free artistic work?

I am a seamstress by profession, I live in Ouagadougou, as you mentioned. I express myself through sewing, painting and drawing. My passion for painting started in 2013 when I decided to try working with recycled objects. My participation in the „Mur Mur“ festival was a great opportunity to meet and exchange experiences with other artists from Burkina Faso and other countries. In my work I create forms and planes of expression that are created by the meeting of grass on fabric and other materials. My work is a constant search for balance. Dynamic balance is the meeting point of forces that surround us or pass through us.

You participated in an international symposium. You were awarded a prize in Dubai. You have an art agent. What helped you to take these steps?

My participation in the International Sculpture Symposium in Laonga was focused on bringing stone to life through shapes. It was an opportunity to collaborate with other art professionals from all over the world. During almost a month, I had time to exchange ideas, share experiences and break down stereotypes. The love of what I do is a force that breaks down barriers and elevates culture and art to new heights. It takes determination, courage and love for what you do.

How is your life and your everyday experiences reflected in your visual work?

Creating is about conveying emotions and symbols, awakening pain, comforting hearts and reviving thoughts. That’s what I try to do every day through my work.

Can you mention specific activities or experiences that inspire you to create?

The security situation in my country, the everyday life of men and women, the environment I live in inspire me every day. Burkina Faso is a reservoir of culture that is unfortunately influenced by foreign cultures, especially Western ones. To be inspired by our culture and artistic values is a way for me to revitalize and preserve our culture for future generations.

Is there anything you would like to mention at the end of the interview?

I would like to say that no one can succeed in a field they don’t love. To me, success means loving what you do every day. Thank you for this interview and long live culture and art. Through our association „Les Petits Beaux-Arts du Burkina Faso“, I also provide instruction in the arts:
painting, drawing, sculpture, puppetry and sewing. Courses are open to all, but especially to children, women and people displaced by terrorism. There is a lack of funds, so we call on people of good will to support our association in artistic and cultural creation to help reintegrate people in difficult situations.