An Island of Light1- 30 September 2026
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved
Assane Keita
©All rights reserved

Assane Keita

Ceramicist

Thiès, Senegal

Where clay meets cloth

  • Assane hand forms vessels from Senegalese clay
  • He combines African and global influences, guided by the idea of rootedness and openness
  • Textiles and furs are prevalent in his ceramic pieces

Assane Keita integrates textures and patterns from weaving and batik into his handcrafted ceramics. His work brings together cultural elements from his native Senegal and his Bambara heritage, with influences from around the world. After completing his general studies in 2015, Assane trained at the Senegalese Manufactures of Decorative Arts (MSAD), a cultural initiative created by former Senegalese president Léopold Senghor. At the centre, he learned different techniques across several crafts, including tapestry, batik and ceramics. Today, the centre is home to his ceramic and mixed media practice, and the platform through which he showcases and promotes his creations in exhibitions.

Assane Keita is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015 and he started teaching in 2019.

INTERVIEW

I have always liked working with my hands, and moulding from earth feels natural to me. There is something healing about working the clay. I like to create a dialogue between ceramics and textiles, by incorporating motifs and textures from tapestry and batik.

I use clay sourced locally in Thiès. It is lighter and easier to manipulate than French clay, and it fires at a lower temperature. For colour, I prefer the organic look of patinas or slips applied after the first firing.

I am inspired by Senegal’s cultural landscape. My vases echo earthenware traditionally made to keep water cool. I allude to ritual scarification with etched patterns, to ancestral masks with evocative shapes and to Bambara hunters by embedding fur.

Former president of Senegal Léopold Senghor, who founded Senegalese Manufactures of Decorative Arts (MSAD), spoke of rootedness and openness. When we are firmly rooted in our own culture, we can be genuinely open to and inspired by other traditions. This idea guides my work.

Assane Keita

Ceramicist

Thiès, Senegal

ADDRESS

Address upon request, Thiès, Senegal

AVAILABILITY

By appointment only

PHONE

+221 773333207

LANGUAGES

French, German, English

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