Mad Cissoko

Year of birth: 1989
Where do you live: Paris
Your education: I am a self-taught artist, but my background is in event management.
Describe your art in three words: Sensitive, Colored, Abstract
Website | Instagram

Your work seems deeply inspired by the concept of abstract realms. Can you explain what abstract art means to you and how it influences your creations?

Abstract art (has) a special meaning for me.
It’s an open door to freedom, a way (to explore) emotions, feelings and the imaginary. I like to first (delve into my own feelings), then translate and share them. Abstract art captivates me, (I feel a) natural attraction to it. Colors and shapes (naturally guided me) down this path. It’s the best way for me to represent (my thoughts and inner world).

In my creative process, (emotion) is essential, followed by the visual part. These two major aspects guide my relationship with abstract art.

You’ve mentioned being inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Vivian Maier in your photography. How do their works resonate with your personal style, and how do you blend photography with digital art and painting?

Henri Cartier-Bresson and Vivian Maier were huge sources of inspiration for me. Getting close to the subject, triggering at the right moment, being patient – all this resonates in the way I photograph. I don’t manufacture the moment, I wait for it, I go out to meet it with curiosity and vulnerability.

For me, disciplines are not distinct. Everything blends together naturally, depending on the ideas of the moment. I can very easily switch from photography to painting or digital creation in the same day without any problem. Photos can inspire me to create digital works, and paintings can influence my photos, and so on. My work is a living archive that nourishes every medium.

You started with digital photography but transitioned to film photography. What drew you to film, and how has it changed the way you approach your work?

I’ve used digital cameras a lot, but what drew me to film was the need for simplicity and freedom. Digital is (practical), but I found it too rigid, with (a multitude of) buttons and lenses. I needed to get back to the essence of photography: aiming and shooting.
This change transformed my practice. It became more (instinctive), and the way I triggered the shutter evolved. With 36 exposure film, you have to choose (each) moment carefully and analyze the environment. It’s made me more patient, more concentrated (film means being demanding: every mistake costs an image, whereas digital makes it easier to correct mistakes).

In your project ‘Abstract Realms,’ you explore a variety of colors, forms, and texts. Could you share more about your creative process when composing these digital works?

For “Abstract Realms”, it all started naturally. I had a collection of images and a clear vision of what I wanted to create: works (visually striking and emotionally charged).

I start with the background (which sets the overall tone of the work). Then I select (strong) images from my archives or (from my digital creations). Then I fine-tune the details with emotion, to (enrich the visual composition).

The final placement of elements can take (a few hours or several days), (depending on my energy and inspiration).

You describe your art as versatile, spanning photography, digital art, painting, and video. How do you decide which medium to use for each specific project?

Each medium (comes naturally depending on the emotion I want to convey). Video expresses nostalgia, photography captures moments in life, painting (translates my inner world), and digital art (creates a bridge between the real and the imaginary).

The medium changes, but the message remains the same: about me, about us, about you. (This universal link is at the heart of my work).

Could you tell us about the significance of the yellow line or color in your work? It seems to stand out in a lot of your work.

Ah yes, that famous lifeline. The color yellow plays a central role in my artistic work. For me, it embodies a strong emotion and represents life itself (it’s light, warmth, energy).

In my work, this yellow line often runs through the paintings, creating a visual link between different elements and guiding the viewer’s eye (through the composition).

(It acts as a common thread), linking each piece of my work. It reminds us that, even in the darkest moments, (there is always a glimmer of hope). What’s more, (its brightness often contrasts with other hues), highlighting (the emotions and themes explored).

All in all, (for me, yellow is a sunny, resilient color, a symbol of strength and optimism).

As someone who captures moments with a camera, what draws you to abstract art in your digital creations? How do you reconcile these two different styles—photography and abstraction?

As a photographer, I’ve always been fascinated by the camera’s ability to capture fleeting moments and transform them into (timeless) memories.
However, (abstraction allows me to go beyond the tangible, to express the invisible).

(What attracts me is this total freedom of expression and interpretation). Unlike photography, which freezes the world as it is, abstraction allows me to explore (emotions and concepts intuitively).

To reconcile these two styles, (I like to fuse realism and abstraction). My approach is to use photographic elements as a starting point, (then transform them through digital manipulation).

In this way, (I give birth to) works (that go beyond the real and arouse deep emotions).

Ultimately, (this tension between the concrete and the abstract is the key to my work. It allows me to tell unique and captivating visual stories).