Seventeen sculptors from nine African and European countries have gathered in the village of Laongo, 35 kilometers from Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, for the 14th international granite sculpture symposium, which began on October 11.
Malian artist Indépendance Dougnon, participating for the first time, is using a jackhammer and grinder to create a piece symbolizing love and coexistence. “My work speaks of coexistence, represented through two characters of opposite genders who are close together,” Dougnon said. “It is important to spread love everywhere. This has been a beautiful experience for me to meet other artists and exchange ideas.”
Veteran sculptor Karim Tapsoba from Burkina Faso, attending his third symposium, aims to address communication through ancestral traditions. “In the tradition of communication from mouth to ear, we see the evolution of modernity and communication, where antennas now promote and expand that communication,” Tapsoba explained.
The Laongo site has evolved into an open-air museum for visitors. Parfait Zongo, a visitor, remarked, “These sculptures allow people to reflect on the past, present, and even the future. It’s a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the artists’ work and learn a lot.”
For the organizers, the primary goal was to bring artists together to leave their mark on the rocks, transforming Laongo into a significant tourist destination in Burkina Faso. “Coming into the bush, encountering granite outcrops, and leaving our imprint on them for future generations was, for me, like a mission,” said Siriky Ki, the symposium’s founder. “Today, Laongo has become a tourist destination that attracts visitors year-round.”
Since its inception in 1988, more than 60 artists have created works on Laongo’s granite. As the symposium nears its conclusion, over 2,000 sculptures provide an extraordinary spectacle for thousands of visitors.
