Nekkatufi (absence in Wolof) and Amounabé (absence in Susu) is a performance by Alioune Diagne inspired by three research trips to Guinea-Conakry, where he immersed himself in the world of traditional masks, particularly the Kondé mask. Through the body, movement, and the mask, the artist examines memory, identity, and the transmission of African heritage. The performance highlights the absence of many African sacred works and objects, now held in Western museums, far from the communities that created them. This absence is at once physical, cultural, and symbolic. By invoking the gestures, rhythms, and energies of Guinean traditions, Alioune Diagne turns the body into a space of memory and resistance. Nekkatufi / Amounabé thus invites reflection on questions of restitution, reparation, and the reclaiming of African heritage.
