le masque –
connecteur cosmique

My thesis, Le Masque – Connecteur Cosmique explores through the case

of the mask, an object that’s both traditional and futuristic, the ways in

which actors of the afrofuturist movement use aesthetics for political

purposes. For afrofuturists, the cosmos offers a free space where it’s

possible to project and imagine themselves outside of the constraints

historically imposed on Black people since at least the 15th century.

How can the mask be both a ritual symbol and a technical agent of

afrofuturism? This thesis considers the mask as a cultural and mythical

connector allowing a plethora of artists of African descent to take hold

of their own narratives while also presenting an alternative vision of the

African continent and its diaspora. As an introduction to afrofuturism,

I present the Sirius B myth of the Dogon people from Mali, an ethnic

group my mother belongs to.