Lamin Fofana

My studio is my zone of practice? It’s where I’m able to think and work out ideas and concepts.

What I do in one sentence: I work with sound, radio, performance, installation, etc.

Why I didn’t get a 9 to 5 job: I don’t know. I guess that will make my life a lot simpler.

An artwork I dream of and I would get accomplished if space, time and money were abundant: There’s quite a bit of those. I would like to produce work on a certain scale looking at movement and migration, but I find myself working on these issues with constraints or a certain lack of resources, but even at this level, I am able to do a whole lot, realize certain projects, but yes with more resources, there’s a chance to scale up which could obscure or further complicate the ideas or just provide greater opportunity for the work to be realized.

Why I do what I do: I am trying to find out. I am compelled to experiment and do things a certain way. I guess it’s the way I relate to the world.

Artists, I have on my watch list (and why): I need to rewatch some short films by Fanta Régina Nacro and also certain films like Touki bouki by Djibril Diop Mambety. Some Claire Denis also.

I am afraid of Losing people and losing certain memories.

I know that a piece is finished when The pieces are never finished. If they are really good, they resist resolution or closure. I just have to leave them at a certain point in the process but they are never done. They are always open to recomposition.

How I want to be buried resp. words I want to be written on my tombstone: It’s really not something I think about, so perhaps I’ll think about it and the next time we meet you can ask me again.

Lamin Fofana, during his visit at Villa Romana in Florence, June 2023.