My work explores culture, identity and social justice in various media: steel sculpture, photography, video, installation and social projects. It consistently bridges diverse cultures, celebrating the unique beauty and genius of each as well as what we have in common. Cultural preservation is important to my work where my research takes the form of immersive fieldwork. Annual visits to Mali provide inspiration.
Social projects internationally and in the US include participation with diverse groups of artists and non-artists. I engage in long-term collaborations, particularly with Malian artists. We are all, at the same time, researcher and object of research producing dialogues and concrete works of art.
My life experiences play an integral part in the development of my work. A master welder, I work in three dimensions as well as on paper, on the floor, on walls, and suspended from the ceiling, indoors and outdoors. My installations include steel sculptures, video, photography and sound. My work combines poetry, patterns, forms and African themes that engage in social discourse.
My work in the US and internationally includes cultural, educational and women’s empowerment projects as well as commissions, exhibitions, collaborations, residencies, community art projects, public art projects. I have been working in Mali for more than two decades.