Created By
Saleh Lô
Graphite drawing on paper
Curator
Luke Chapman
In Mohamed, Saleh Lô distills the essence of his “witnessing as praxis” methodology, translating the collaborative portraiture process into an intimate drawing that honors specificity without excess. The economy of line and shading reverberates with an ethical restraint, compelling us to acknowledge the sitter’s agency amid structures designed to efface his humanity. This work, emerging directly from post-interview engagement, serves as a visual testament to the dialogic relationship between artist and subject—where testimony becomes integrated into form. In the broader context of Lô’s Talibé series, Mohamed functions as an invitation to sustained ethical attentiveness, positioning the viewer not merely as spectator but as participant in a critical encounter with histories of neglect, resilience, and hope.
Mohamed, rendered in graphite on paper, constitutes a poignant portrait born from Saleh Lô’s direct engagement with Talibé children through intimate interviews. The drawing’s understated line work and delicate shading evoke a sense of immediacy and presence, capturing not only the physical semblance of the sitter but also the weight of his lived experience. The minimalist background directs full attention to Mohamed’s posture and expression, encapsulating the complexity of his position as both a subject of spiritual instruction and a figure entrapped within systemic labor exploitation. The subtle interplay of light and shadow delineates contours that are at once tender and resolute, inviting the viewer into a quiet dialogue that transcends the visual surface to engage with the ethical dimensions of witnessing and representation.
Created By
Saleh Lô
67 x 43 cm | 26 x 17 in
Framed (Black)
2025
