René Alemawo is a self-taught abstract and figurative wood sculptor from West Africa. He only uses traditional tools to sculpt his wood – mainly teak, acacia, ebony and African blackwood – without any use of electrical instruments. He has held several exhibitions in Europe, as well as in Oman and in the USA.
René has an intuitive relationship with the raw wood, coaxing it to reveal diverse expressions of the values and qualities that connect humanity, such as harmony, peace, respect, humility, cooperation, courage, solidarity, resilience, dignity, hope, and the feeling of belonging to a global family…
In 2012, René was invited to a museum in Paris where his task was to revive an ancient tree that had been preserved in a swamp for thousands of years. For two months he meticulously carved away the solidified debris to expose the tree’s original outline.
In his daily work in Senegal, René searches his surroundings for discarded pieces of wood and patiently brings them back to life as beautiful shapes and forms.
“I sit in silence in front of a piece of wood. A peaceful mind gives me positive inspiration. The wood talks to me and what I do is to bring out its beauty”
A quote from Michelangelo comes to mind:
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”