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Graphics
YOUR JUJUS ARE GONE
RONALD ABDOU | CAMEROON
RONALD ABDOU | CAMEROON
Fabric, water, silikon
2025
2025
In this work, I used masks not only from Cameroon, but also from Mali, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, as this issue concerns the entire African continent.
My childhood was surrounded by vibrant traditional masquerades. In Cameroon, within the Banso culture, masquerade is not merely a form of carnival disguise, but a profound spiritual ritual that connects us with our ancestors. Unfortunately, today these traditions are often considered outdated. I strongly disagree with this perception.
The work presents four figures wearing traditional masks, dressed in contemporary business suits — an image of rupture and, simultaneously, coexistence between generational codes. The image does not reveal itself immediately: the silhouettes emerge on the surface only when interacting with water and gradually disappear as the fabric dries.
Thus, water becomes an instrument of "activation", while the act of sprinkling it carries a sacred dimension of respect for departed ancestors. The work becomes the bridge between the past and the future. The repetitive gesture emphasizes its core idea: the tradition does not exist autonomously; it requires continuous participation and renewal, otherwise it fades from visibility and loses its connection to the present.
In this context, the dialogue with water is understood not as a magical act, but as a complex and meaningful process of preserving identity and essence.
The work presents four figures wearing traditional masks, dressed in contemporary business suits — an image of rupture and, simultaneously, coexistence between generational codes. The image does not reveal itself immediately: the silhouettes emerge on the surface only when interacting with water and gradually disappear as the fabric dries.
Thus, water becomes an instrument of "activation", while the act of sprinkling it carries a sacred dimension of respect for departed ancestors. The work becomes the bridge between the past and the future. The repetitive gesture emphasizes its core idea: the tradition does not exist autonomously; it requires continuous participation and renewal, otherwise it fades from visibility and loses its connection to the present.
In this context, the dialogue with water is understood not as a magical act, but as a complex and meaningful process of preserving identity and essence.
My childhood was surrounded by vibrant traditional masquerades.
In Cameroon, within the Banso culture, masquerade is not merely a form of carnival disguise, but a profound spiritual ritual that connects us with our ancestors. Unfortunately, today these traditions are often considered outdated. I strongly disagree with this perception.
The work presents four figures wearing traditional masks, dressed in contemporary business suits — an image of rupture and, simultaneously, coexistence between generational codes. The image does not reveal itself immediately: the silhouettes emerge on the surface only when interacting with water and gradually disappear as the fabric dries.
Thus, water becomes an instrument of "activation", while the act of sprinkling it carries a sacred dimension of respect for departed ancestors. The work becomes the bridge between the past and the future. The repetitive gesture emphasizes its core idea: the tradition does not exist autonomously; it requires continuous participation and renewal, otherwise it fades from visibility and loses its connection to the present.
In this work, I used masks not only from Cameroon, but also from Mali, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, as this issue concerns the entire African continent. In this context, the dialogue with water is understood not as a magical act, but as a complex and meaningful process of preserving identity and essence.
The work presents four figures wearing traditional masks, dressed in contemporary business suits — an image of rupture and, simultaneously, coexistence between generational codes. The image does not reveal itself immediately: the silhouettes emerge on the surface only when interacting with water and gradually disappear as the fabric dries.
Thus, water becomes an instrument of "activation", while the act of sprinkling it carries a sacred dimension of respect for departed ancestors. The work becomes the bridge between the past and the future. The repetitive gesture emphasizes its core idea: the tradition does not exist autonomously; it requires continuous participation and renewal, otherwise it fades from visibility and loses its connection to the present.
In this work, I used masks not only from Cameroon, but also from Mali, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, as this issue concerns the entire African continent. In this context, the dialogue with water is understood not as a magical act, but as a complex and meaningful process of preserving identity and essence.