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Malian designer, architect and sculptor Cheick Diallo's major solo exhibition Taama is geared to commence at Southern Guild's Melrose Hill gallery in Los Angeles next month. On view from February 13 - May 3, 2025, Taama is replete with experimental, sculptural design works from Diallo's career spanning over three decades, where he has consistently reimagined the boundaries of African design, merging conceptual innovation with centuries-old craftsmanship.
The design exhibition's title, Taama, meaning 'voyage' in the West African language of Malinké, will showcase the full range of Diallo's work, including a selection of iconic and experimental furniture designs, lighting designs, sculpture art pieces and allied objects. This immersive presentation will also highlight his studio practice and collaborative approach to the fabrication and revival of West African craft.
"I don't have an interest in design if it is only to remake that which already exists," Diallo has declared.
Recognised as a pioneering figure in contemporary African design, his work is housed in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou, Vitra Design Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), Philadelphia Museum of Art and Manchester Museum of Art, among others. Taama will be his first solo show at a gallery in the US.
Born in Bamako, Mali, in 1960, Diallo initially trained as an architect at the Rouen School of Architecture in France. It was here that he discovered his passion for design, leading him to enrol in the furniture design programme at the ENSCI (The Higher National Institute of Industrial Design) in Paris, where he studied from 1992 to 1994. During this period, his Ifen lamp and Rivale chair garnered top honours from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. In 1996, Diallo founded the Association des Designers Africains and has since led numerous design workshops across the African continent, including in Mali, Togo, Congo, South Africa, Morocco, Benin and Ghana.
Diallo's expressive product designs have been exhibited extensively around the world, including at prestigious venues such as the Hayward Gallery in London, Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf and more. His work has also been featured in major exhibitions such as Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design at the Vitra Design Museum and Africa Remix at the Johannesburg Art Gallery and Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.
In addition to these international shows, Diallo has participated in several group shows with Southern Guild, as well as in the gallery's presentations at Design Miami (both Basel and Miami), the Aspen Art Fair, Untitled Art and more. Beyond his practice, he has served as a trusted mentor and advisor to both his peers and emerging designers across Africa. Diallo is also a key figure in the Design Network Africa program, an initiative led by the Danish Centre for Culture and Development and facilitated by Source, Southern Guild’s sister company.
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