HERITIER BILAKA

Influenced by the political and social situations in my country and by my questions about the socio-cultural and historical realities of different peoples, I explore human conditions in their material and spiritual dimensions linked to the environment through the representation of the human body as a reflection on the origins of human identity in a figurative style that I feel is more immediately accessible to the general public. I believe that the act of painting is not only a language, but also another way of marking a presence in human history. My intention in painting black-and-white figures in a multicolored environment is to try to reduce a strictly racial connotation to highlight only the human aspect, but also to make a link between the past and the present. For some time now, I've been depicting the heads of my characters as black silhouettes, thus eliminating their faces. It's a way for me to question the concept of individualism in contemporary society.

My work questions human conditions in a contemporary context, while recalling history. The aim is to create a mirror effect between the general public and their environment, in order to open up a conversation. Many artists have greatly influenced my artistic approach, both technically and conceptually. The works of contemporary American artist Shane Wolf and French realist artist Gustav Courbet have contributed significantly to my technical approach.  The works of modern American painters Aeron Douglas, Alfred Leslie and contemporary Malian photographer Saidu Keita have greatly influenced my practice, both conceptually and thematically.