"Coeur Madd" is a series of 3 works retracing the memory and invisible thread between two different generations and cultural backgrounds. The notion of belonging is highlighted by a search for connection, before becoming, with the series Coeur Madd, a celebration of memories that were never fully experienced: brief, rare recollections of my late Senegalese grandmother who lived far away, and the grieving of a version of myself that could never be.
I painted "Coeur Madd" thinking of my grandmother. Mame—my mum’s mother. I didn’t have the opportunity to see her often when she was alive.While painting these beautiful yellows, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I remembered the time she found out that my favorite fruit was the Madd. Its heart-shaped shell is filled with seeds coated in a sweet, juicy pulp that delights the taste buds with its tangy flavor. The fruit's color is bright, a slightly ochre orange-yellow, like sunlight. My grandmother sent me packets full of Madd for many years, all the way from Senegal to France. I can still hear my mum telling me, “Your Mame has sent you some Madd—just for you!”
I’m smiling.
Text written during the artistic process.
Works :
Coeur Madd, 2025, ink, oil, collage on cotton canvas 160 × 120 x 2 cm.
The bark of the tree, 2025, ink, oil, collage on cotton canvas 160 × 120 x 2 cm.
Seeds of hope, 2025, ink, oil, collage on cotton canvas 160 × 120 x 2 cm.
