24" x 30"
Mixed media on muslin 2020
@Aichoucha.haidara
Aichoucha Haidara is a multidisciplinary artist from Timbuktu, Mali. She earned her Bachelor's in Jewelry and Textile design from OCAD U and has been making work since then. Being away from home has fostered a need for her to feel close to her cultural heritage by exploring art and storytelling from Mali. Her work acts as a bridge between the past and present as she aims to use Mali’s visual history to create her own modern take on past stories and events through art.
With each brushstroke and stitch, Aichoucha invites viewers to join her on a visual journey that challenges perceptions, embraces contradictions, and captures the beauty of the spirit of her ancestry.
She has two murals in Hamilton and exhibited work in Hamilton, Toronto, and Lagos. She has taken part in residencies and has run workshops for the youth as well as the elderly. Her first solo show was exhibited at Centre [3].
THE STORY:
Aichoucha's work explores the dimensions of African identity, surrealism, and the experience of loss of self and culture. With a diverse skill set, she has many art forms at her disposal to bring her world to life, including painting, textile weaving, jewelry, and costume design, as well as animation.
Through her paintings, she explores the layers of African reality and myth, relearning forgotten narratives and contrasting them with surreal elements and modern ideas influenced by her experience growing up in different places.
Her textile art shows her love for Mali and the rich culture of textile art in Africa, employing vibrant colours and textures to celebrate the continent's essence.
In costume design, she blurs the lines between reality and dream, crafting garments that explore the depths of identity and transformation. She breathes life into memories and emotions, offering a window into the experience of loss and the energy of the past that persists. Her costume work represents different characters that she imagines- Spirit guides brought in a tangible space.
*Please note: Purchased works are available for pickup on Sat. Oct 5th from 12-3pm, otherwise, arrangements will be made between collectors and buyers directly following the Art Circuit.