Akokán
Yacnoy Abreu Dutour
Akokán, a term originating from the Yoruba language, which translates to "from the heart" or "from the soul", encapsulates the essence of intention and purity of purpose. It is within this spiritual crucible that a series of contemporary art is born, conceived by the artist with unparalleled depth and authenticity. Each artwork thus becomes a visual ritual, a sincere offering of solace, purification, or supplication. Through Akokán, we are invited on a captivating journey into the heart of Afro-Cuban spirituality and tradition.
This series delicately and respectfully explores the sacred rituals of Yoruba religion, revealing their power of unity and profound symbolism. Each canvas becomes a gateway to the cultural and spiritual richness of the Yoruba community, capturing the solemnity of veneration and the subtlety of communion with the divine.
Beyond religious differences, we can appreciate the potency of this series as a focal point of reverence and spirituality. Using acrylic paint on canvas as a medium of expression, the artist has skillfully captured the cultural nuances and spiritual complexities inherent in Yoruba tradition. Journeying through the series, one witnesses the convergence of ancient and contemporary, sacred and earthly, in a fascinating exhibition of color, texture, and symbolism.
In the vibrant palette of Yoruba religion, red and black emerge as emblematic colors. These hues hold deep significance in rituals and ceremonies, embodying the energy, passion, and mystery of Yoruba spirituality. Red signifies strength, vitality, and action, while black symbolizes spirituality and protection, paying homage to the Orisha Elegua.
Yet Akokán transcends mere series status. It is a celebration of heritage, a tribute to the enduring power of faith, and a testament to human spirit's resilience. It invites contemplation of universal themes of devotion, connection, and transcendence that unite humanity.
Yacnoy Abreu Dutour is a French visual artist, dancer, choreographer and performer with Afro Cuban roots. Passionate about dance, he found in painting a powerful language, commensurate with his bodily commitment. A state graduate in contemporary and modern dance, Yacnoy Abreu Dutour finds in visual art a logical development of his career. The line is an extension of the ges-ture, the drawing becomes the trace of the dance. Her spontaneous sensuality, nourished by a mystique of the elements, does not ignore the codes and choreographic traditions of multiple cultures. Yacnoy Abreu Dutour extends dance to all aspects of the material. Canvas, paper, fa-brics, become living spaces, an arena where he dances and acts, alone or in company, as if the origin of what keeps us upright on earth became visible, animated by a rhythmic and plastic energy.Yacnoy Abreu Dutour has the class of Parisians and the elegance of a man of the world in the most universal sense of the term. He gives rise to multidisciplinary encounters, poetry, thea-ter, painting, staging, in which his canvas absorbs the event. Curious about Chinese calligraphy and abstract expressionism, exploring the material through all kinds of means, video, screen prin-ting, performance, he finds in action-painting his most complete expression. He invents a writing of space and time, to be felt, to experience, to be perceived through the skin as much as through the eyes. The dance becomes a meeting, like a happy accident of the gesture, a grace, in a joyful and vital ambition.Marie Darrieussecq