Idrissa Domno Goro: Spiritual Art, from the soul of the earth to the canvas
By And-Art Works Magazine
In the creative universe of Idrissa Domno Goro, the earth is not merely a resource, nor the canvas a support: they are vehicles for a sacred dialogue between the visible and the invisible. This visual artist from Mali, featured in the curated selection by And-Art Works, has built a visual language rooted in Dogon tradition and the ancestral technique of bogolan, while projecting a contemporary reading charged with symbolism, spirituality, and reflection
The Alchemy of Natural Pigments
At the heart of his creative process lies the experimenting with natural pigments. Goro transforms what the environment provides —earth, river clay, bark, roots, leaves, and indigo— into a palette that transcends aesthetics to become a philosophical language.
His technique begins with cotton fabric, immersed in a decoction of N’galama leaves, which provide tannins and prepare the cloth to absorb the colors.
With a cut turkey feather, he traces signs and motifs using iron-rich clay, which reacts with the tannins to produce deep blacks after successive baths and washes.
To this black, he adds the reds of N’Peku bark, the earthy browns of Wôlô roots, the orange tones of cola nut juice, and above all, the sacred blue of indigo, obtained from fermented leaves with potash.
Each stage of the process is a ritual: boiling, soaking, dyeing, oxidizing, washing. Matter transforms itself and reveals on his canvases a cosmology in colors. In this sense, Goro does not simply paint; he officiates a ceremony where earth and elements speak with their own voice.
Woman as the Center of the Universe
One of the most recurring themes in his work is woman, portrayed as a source of life, fertility, and wisdom. In his representation, there is no stereotype or folklore, but a profound recognition: woman as the origin of existence and as the guardian of African cultural tradition. His female figures, firm and serene, are at once earthly and cosmic—bodies that sustain memory and project the future.
Philosophy, Cosmos, and Community
In Dogon cosmology, the elements of nature are living forces that shape the order of the world. This vision permeates every stroke of Idrissa Domno Goro: water flows as vital energy, earth as matrix, sky as memory, and pigments as mediators between worlds.
His canvases also open themselves to the collective: scenes of shared laughter, celebrations, and daily gestures that, through his gaze, acquire a universal character. What seems ephemeral becomes symbolic: gathering, music, and collective work as expressions of lived spirituality.
Contemporary African Art with Roots and Projection
By integrating the ancestral tradition of bogolan with a contemporary vision, Idrissa Domno Goro has built a unique visual language that places him at the forefront of contemporary African art. His work does not merely narrate a cultural identity but proposes a universal reflection on the relationship between human beings and the earth, the community, and the invisible.
In a global context, his artistic proposal —presented through And-Art Works— resonates with collectors, critics, and art lovers seeking authenticity and spirituality in creation. Goro reminds us that art is not only aesthetics, but also memory, ritual, and a bond with the essential.
