Rickii Ly
Afrofuturism straight out of Côte d'Ivoire: Besides being pretty much fabulous at altering the reality digitally – @rickiily masters dystopian distortion like never seen before in the African Art Scene.
Which artists gave you the most of inspiration throughout life?
The artists who inspire me the most these days are Nadia Lee Cohen, Juno Calypso and Wes Anderson. I’m also impressed with the term "artistic touch“: when an artist creates artwork and you instantly recognize him as author – that’s magic and source of inspiration.
Are there some special people, books or places that fuel your imagination?
Music in all its forms inspires me as well. I am very sensitive to music and the rhythm it
transmits. I don’t have a favorite artist, it’s too complicated to choose.
I can listen to Rap, Rock, Coupé Décalé, Pop – it all depends on my mood at that
moment.
When did you first encounter/create "Afrofuturism"? Tell us more about it.
My beginnings were very different from what I am currently doing, I was looking for
myself. I did everything that came to my mind, from putting pineapples on an egg or creating a bear that flies away with balloons, for example. I just let my mind run free.
As my artistic identity was transmitted in my works, my characters created
themselves through very specific traits and from there I fell naturally into the Afro-futuristic world.
For me art is everywhere, art is plasticine, you take it and you give it a shape that
corresponds to your vision.My love for my continent and for African women inspires me a lot.
For me AfroFuturism is an artistic movement like Cubism or Hyperrealism.
It is a way of representing Africa, African culture in a fairly space like the digital, high tech or
totally abstract world.
Where do you live at the moment and what impact does the location and the people have on
your art?
I live in Ivory Coast, a beautiful and very inspiring country. We have more than 60
ethnic groups. I often do a lot of research on different peoples to draw inspiration from
them – whether it is for hairstyle or clothes, I give it a lot of importance.
What are we going to see next from you?
Maybe a short animated movie with my humaliens – one day?
I don't know really, but now I’m working on my art exhibition, I want it to be very
special. I hope to be able to travel and show in different countries.
What is your all-time favorite dish – and why?
Haha, it’s too complicated for me to choose to be honest, but I think “Garba“ is my go-to-dish.
Garba is a popular Ivorian dish made from cassava semolina, called Attiéké, accompanied by tuna, mainly sold in small street stalls generally run by Hausa men.
Please close your eyes for 30 seconds and feel the space between your eyes, your arms,
your chest and your heart. Let it resonate with you for a moment. What is the first thing that
comes to your mind?
It’s peace! For me it is important to have peace, to be at peace with yourself and to be able to
resonate with all of your creative energy.
The future is…
The future is art. The future is us. The future is what we make now.
interview FRANCIS SALVATOR
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