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Diouana's Resistance
March 2025
“Diouana's Resistance” is an installation part of Galerie Le Manège's exhibition Diggante, tear ak kilifteef, poétique d'une maille sociale: La Driyanké where I pay tribute to the character played by Senegalese actress Mbissine Thérèse Diop in the film La Noire de... (Ousmane Sembène, 1966), highlighting the role of her costume in the construction of her character. This is an artistic reconstitution of three outfits worn by Diouana in the film, dressing terracotta dolls. These “dome” dolls are inspired by Senegalese tradition, where doll-making plays a crucial role in the construction of female identity. In Abdoulaye Sadji's novel Maïmouna (1958), the protagonist and her doll Nabou are inseparable, symbolizing the passage from childhood to adulthood. Saint-Louis fashion historian Fatou Niang Siga (1932-2022) had already explored the role of the doll as a key element in reconstructing the history of Senegalese fashion.
The project explores the notion of resistance through clothing, in a context where women's clothing is often subject to patriarchal judgments and systemic exclusion. The project involves the creation of three dolls in collaboration with Dakar artisans, as well as the production of three outfits for the dolls and three wooden displays. The exhibition of these works will serve as a starting point for reflection on clothing, its significance in Senegal, its role in travel to Europe, and its reinvention by the diaspora.​
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Material: clay, textile, wood, metal
​Acknowledgements: Akya Sy (curation), Eniola Dawudu, Gerard Leysen, Fatima Fall Niang & Thiam Mata.
Photography: Khalifa Hussein
