KRE MBAYE
He was born Andy Keve in Dakar, Senegal on April 25, 1949. He was nicknamed “Kere” or “Kre” even as a primary school child because he used to draw constantly on the classroom blackboard with chalk (« craie » in French). Since 1969 he has been an associate of celebrated African artists such as Ibou Diouf, Mamadou Niang, Seidou Barry, Mor Faye (father of Ousmane Faye) and Art College professor Pierre Lods.
In 1974 he played the head of a gang in the well-received movie Baks (Yamba)[2] produced by Momar Thiam, but abandoned his acting career in favor of his career as an artist. His first exhibition in 1976 at the Dynamique Museum of Dakar was highly acclaimed, his painting “The Messenger” receiving particular praise by President Léopold Sédar Senghor.
Some of his best-known works are his portraits of women inspired by the face of his mother Fari Fate (Mame Fari),[3] “a woman griot of great renown; a fascinating storyteller of Senegalese history”. Very stylish, full of exuberance and cheerfulness, Fari Fate with her jewelries, her meticulous dresses, her elaborate hairstyles, inspired to the artist a painting style full of fineness. M'Baye has another style that tends to abstract paintings dominated by blue and orange colors.
M'Baye is a disciple of Pierre Lods and was self-trained in the workshop of Peter Plastics Research Lods.[4] In 1994 Gaston Madeira formed "Netty Guy" (The Three Baobabs), bringing together Kré M'Baye, Moussa N'Diaye Baydie M'Baye and Zulu, three painters representative of the School of Arts in Dakar, who in 1998 opened a gallery on the Senegalese island of N'gor and founded Workshops N'gor.[5] He was a participant in Tenq, the first workshop on the Triangle model (led by El Hadji Sy and sponsored by CBAO, Maersk, SAEC and the British Council, Dakar) held in West Africa, which took place at the Lycée Cheikh Oumar Fontiyou in Saint-Louis, Senegal; the first event of Africa95, a year-long festival celebrating African arts in the UK and Africa, featuring 25 artists from 10 African countries and Great Britain.[6]
His brother Seni M’Baye is also a noted Senegalese artist.
Exhibitions
1976
First exhibit to the 4th Senegalese painters and visual arts show at the Dynamique Museum of Dakar.
1983
New Expressions at Lorient in France
1985
French Cultural Center in Dakar
1985
IFA Gallery in Bonn, Germany
1987
Senegalese painters & visual artists exhibit – received Prize of the Head of State
1987
Stadfische Gallery in Wendlinger in Germany
1988
American Cultural Center of Dakar at the National Gallery – Kre’s Totem du Silence was the only painting selected to be put to auction
1990
Le’Arche de la Defense in Paris, France
1995
Cape Verde’ Islands – several traveling exhibitions
1996
Contemporary Art Exhibition of Dammarie-les-Lys in France – won the City Prize
1996
Selected to the Dak’Art 1996 Biennale[7]
1998
Mil Arte, 98 Mill Lane (West Hampstead) London, England April - May
1999
Kenkeleba Gallery in New York City, U.S.A.
Since 1999, Permanent exposition at the Antenna Gallery, Félix Faure street in Dakar
2002
Arts Plastiques Exposition: Dakar - Dakart at Aude Minart in Paris, France April 30 - May 5[8]
2005
April 1–14 National Gallery of Art - Sponsored by the American Cultural Center, National Museum of African Art in Washington. Three exhibitions of artists: Souleye Keita, Jacob Yacouba, and Amadou Kré M'Baye
2005
St. Mark's Church[disambiguation needed], New York City, U.S.A. Participated in Plexus International's presentation Erosions and Renaissance, Act IV 12/10/05
2006
Senegalese Contemporary Art Exhibit: The Jokko Bar-Expo - 5 Rue Elzévir Paris, France (June - July)
2007
Fine Arts Exhibition at Marcel Rozier's gallery in Bois-le-Roi from May 12–20
2008
Black Visibility: Contemporary African Art Exhibit March 19 - April 5 at the Conservatoire des Arts, 1, parvis sources 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Awards
1987 Prize of the Head of State of Senegal
1996 City Prize of Dammarie-les-Lys, France
1999 Awarded L’Ordre National du Lion by Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal