Amadou Opa Bathily Malian , b. 1987
"Bathily’s artistic journey began at an early age in the Atelier “Miria,” a recycling art workshop where he first experimented with a wide range of materials, particularly metals such as tin cans. This formative experience fostered a lasting sensitivity to materiality and transformation."
Bathily has participated in numerous group exhibitions and artistic residencies in Mali and internationally, including the “Interference” exhibition in Tunisia, dedicated to light-based art. He was also a member of the second cohort of the “Kôrè-Qualité II” program at the Kôrè Cultural Center in Ségou and received the Talent Prize of the National City in 2017.
Born on April 2, 1987, in Bamako, Mali, Amadou Opa Bathily is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and installation. He trained at the National Institute of Arts (INA) and the Conservatory of Arts and Multimedia Trades Balla Fasséké Kouyaté (CAMM-BFK) in Bamako, graduating top of his class in 2015.
Bathily’s artistic journey began at an early age in the Atelier “Miria,” a recycling art workshop where he first experimented with a wide range of materials, particularly metals such as tin cans. This formative experience fostered a lasting sensitivity to materiality and transformation.
His academic training further expanded this foundation, enabling him to develop a distinctive approach to both hard and soft materials—including metal, fabric, and leather. Central to his practice is an exploration of the relationship between material and maker: for Bathily, materials possess both strength and malleability when guided by creative intent and technical control.
His work is characterized by a dynamic energy and a tactile engagement with surfaces and forms, reflecting a balance between resilience and flexibility. Through this process, he continually redefines the expressive possibilities of everyday materials.
Bathily has participated in numerous group exhibitions and artistic residencies in Mali and internationally, including the “Interference” exhibition in Tunisia, dedicated to light-based art. He was also a member of the second cohort of the “Kôrè-Qualité II” program at the Kôrè Cultural Center in Ségou and received the Talent Prize of the National City in 2017.
Today, Amadou Opa Bathily continues to develop a multidisciplinary body of work that pushes the boundaries between materials, forms, and artistic expression.