#11 - That the Creator free me from all that is not of Him, and that the one who has no equal (the Prophet) set me on the straight path.

Yelimane Fall, artist

born 1945

#11 - That the Creator free me from all that is not of Him, and that the one who has no equal (the Prophet) set me on the straight path., 2003–2004

Portfolio/Series title: series of 29 paintings, one for each line of the lyrical poem "Jawartu" by Sheikh Bamba

Where object was made: Pikine, Senegal

Material/technique: paint; canvas

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width (Height x Width): 115 x 76 cm
Object Height/Width (Height x Width): 45 1/4 x 29 15/16 in

Credit line: Museum purchase: Friends of the Art Museum

Accession number: 2007.0071.01

Not on display

Add to portfolio

If you wish to reproduce this image, please submit an image request

Images

Label texts

Art and Activism: 50 Years of Africana Studies at KU

In this painting, artist and calligrapher Yelimane Fall embraces the historical practice of calligraphy to create modern African art. This piece is one of a series of twenty-nine, one for each ode of the poem “Jawartu.”

“Jawartu” was written by Sheikh Amadou Bamba and was meant to bless and protect anyone who read it. Bamba was a Senegalese Sufi saint and religious leader who lived from 1853–1927 and passively resisted French colonial power during this time. Even after he was exiled from Senegal by French colonial officials, he remained peaceful in his resistance, seeking to free the colonizers from their violence and the oppressed from their oppression. Bamba founded the Mouride Brotherhood, also known as Muridiyya or Murids, a sect of Sufi Islam in Senegal.

Fall intends his work to radiate the purpose of the Sufi faith. Like Bamba’s poems, Fall’s works are meant to bless any viewer. He views himself as a “Messenger of the Faith,” and therefore signs each piece with MF. This signature can be seen in white in the lower right corner of this piece. Of the messages his work carries, Fall says, “No one is left out, everyone is included, the whole world belongs.” Fall’s layered images draw the viewer in and ask them to consider the many layers and colors, regardless of one’s ability to read Arabic or Wolof.

With his art, Fall looks back to the traditions and inspiration of Bamba, to create works that represent the message of the Murids, which encourage finding happiness despite economic hardships and to be tolerant and positive.

Written by Heather Snay

Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures

Although Sufi visionary Sheikh Amadou Bamba died in 1927, his messages of peace, education, and community continue to inspire contemporary African artists. Between 2003 and 2004, Yelimane Fall painted a series of works based on verses from Sheikh Bamba’s renowned lyrical poem “Jawartu.“ Having earned widespread renown for these and other works, Fall has become a global activist for the disenfranchised and impoverished youth of urban Senegal. To empower younger generations, he offers classes in Arabic calligraphy-a marginalized practice in Africa-and encourages students to embrace Muslim teachings of patience, non-violence, and human dignity.

Exhibition Label:
"Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures," Jun-2013, Cassandra Mesick
Although Sufi visionary Sheikh Amadou Bamba died in 1927, his messages of peace, education, and community continue to inspire contemporary African artists. Between 2003 and 2004, Yelimane Fall painted a series of works based on verses from Sheikh Bamba’s renowned lyrical poem “Jawartu.“ Having earned widespread renown for these and other works, Fall has become a global activist for the disenfranchised and impoverished youth of urban Senegal. To empower younger generations, he offers classes in Arabic calligraphy-a marginalized practice in Africa-and encourages students to embrace Muslim teachings of patience, non-violence, and human dignity.