BIO
Malick Welli is a visual artist and photographer. Through his multidisciplinary practice, Welli delves into profound themes of duality, spirituality, history, and the restitution of memory, offering a nuanced interrogation of identity, belonging, and displacement.
His art, marked by a sense of mysticism and deep introspection, navigates the complex interplay between religion, material culture, economic dynamics, and power structures, challenging their influence on contemporary narratives and societal perceptions.
In his series "Forgotten Paradise: Passage", created in collaboration with Charlotte Brathwaite during their residencies as Artists-in-Residence at the Guild Hall of East Hampton, Malick turns his gaze to the enduring legacies of the transatlantic slave trade. This poignant body of work examines the histories of enslaved and forcibly displaced peoples, transforming an archive of collective trauma into a space for healing and remembrance.
Through evocative imagery and symbolic elements such as water, flight, and ritual, the series acknowledges the dreams, hopes, and resilience of the displaced, reimagining their inner lives and acts of resistance. The sea, a recurring motif, serves as both a silent witness to history and a metaphor for identity—its ebb and flow reflecting the cyclical nature of time and the potential for renewal. By inviting viewers into this reflective space, Welli envisions futures grounded in unity and healing.
Malick Welli’s work has earned international recognition, exhibited in renowned institutions and cultural events worldwide. His exhibitions include the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, Netherlands, the Chazen Museum of Art in Wisconsin, USA and significant biennales such as the Cairo Biennale and the Dakar Biennale.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Powers of the Unseen
- Express Newark, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
- February 25 – July 31, 2025
Talks
2025
- New Research on photography in Africa at 1.54 African Contemporary Art, Marrakech.
2024
- In Conversation with Neal Rosenthal, Mad Rose Gallery, Millerton, New York, USA (March 24)
2023
- In Conversation with Ricky Lavern Martin, The American Arts Center, Casablanca, Morocco (July 25)
Screenings
2024
- INFINITE POSSIBILITIES, Off the Wall, Atlanta Beltline Trail, USA (March 2–9)
2023
- Juneteenth Celebration, ICA Boston, USA (June 19)
- The American Arts Center, Casablanca, Morocco (July 25)
- FAME Shorts Film Festival, Cape Town, South Africa (September 8)
2022
- Dakar Biennale, Senegal (July – August)
CV
Born: 1990, Kaffrine, Senegal
Lives and works: Dakar, Senegal
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2023
- The Way We Are, The American Art Center, Casablanca, Morocco
- Anonym(us), Meydene, Marrakech, Morocco
- Lightness of Being, Résidence de France, Cap Manuel, Dakar, Senegal
2022
- Lightness of Being, Galerie Atiss, Dakar, Senegal
2019
- Spiritual Phenomena, Egyptian Modern Art Museum, Cairo Biennale, Egypt
- Spiritual Phenomena, 1-54 Marrakech, Movenpick Hotel, Marrakech, Morocco
2018
- Untitled, Galerie Atiss, Dakar Contemporary Art Biennale, Dakar, Senegal
- 3rd Edition of AKAA Fair (Also Known As Africa), Paris, France
Group Exhibitions
2025
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakech, Morocco
2024
- Africa Foto Fair 2024, MUCAT, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Identité Plurielle, curated by Evidences, Domus Maubourg, Paris, France
- Sleep is Prayer, Yoka Lounge, Pointe des Almadies, Dakar, Senegal
2023
- In Brilliant Light, Wereldmuseum, Leiden and Berg en Dal, Netherlands
- Insistent Presence, Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Sur le Fil..., Le 19M, Chanel, Aubervilliers, Paris, France
- Sur le Fil..., The Theodore Monod African Art Museum, Dakar, Senegal
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, USA
2022
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, USA
- Art X Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
- BlackStar Film Festival, Philadelphia, USA
- Les Invincibles, Dakar Biennale, Senegal
2019
- Looks of Freedom, EXPO Chicago Art Fair, Chicago, USA
- Saint-Louis to St Louis, Barret Barrera Projects, Missouri, USA
2018
- Songes d’Hier, Rêveries du Présent, MuPho, Saint-Louis, Senegal
2016
- Les Porteuses, Dakar Contemporary Art Biennale, British Council, Dakar, Senegal
Collections
- Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Saint-Louis, Missouri, USA
- Jimmy Jamieson Collection, Saint-Louis, Missouri, USA
- Société Générale, Dakar, Senegal
- MuPho (Musée de la Photographie), Saint-Louis, Senegal
- Private collections: Senegal, France, Morocco, Germany, UK, USA
Residencies
2024
- William P. Rayner Artist-in-Residence, Guild Hall of East Hampton, USA
2023
- Denniston Hill, Woodridge, New York, USA
- Fondation Donwahi, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
2022
- Operndorf Afrika, Burkina Faso
Awards
Nominated for the Prix Pictet, Hope (2018)
Collaborations / Photography Assignments
- Meshell Ndegeocello: No More Water / The Fire Next Time; The Gospel of James Baldwin
- FringeArts: Photography for commissioned projects
- adrienne maree brown project: Collaboration for Holland Festival
- Habiter Dakar: Visual exploration of urban and cultural landscapes
- Exceptional Alien: Feature and photography assignment
- Revue Tracés: Contribution of visual work and storytelling
- Monocle: Commissioned editorial photography
- Forbes Afrique: Documenting stories of entrepreneurship and innovation
- Goethe-Institut Senegal: Cultural and artistic collaborations
- Eiffage Senegal: Architectural and urban development projects