Xooli Bet

This artwork tells a story of national pride and cultural heritage. Xooli Bet is a vibrant exploration of identity through colour, rhythm, and form. Created using a mix of oil and acrylic, Nalla Thioye blends traditional and contemporary techniques to craft a rich, textured surface. The hues of the Senegalese flag speak to his deep pride in his origins, anchoring the work in a strong sense of place.
Each brushstroke is guided by the movements of the Ndaw Rabine woman — a central figure in Lébou culture — whose dance embodies charm, seduction, and strength. The gestures, the aquatic life of N'gor, and the living memory of tradition are all held within the composition, inviting the viewer into a world where cultural identity moves, flows, and endures.

Nalla Thioye is a self-taught Senegalese artist, born and raised in Ngor, a small fishing village on the West African coast. Fascinated from an early age by discovery and experience, he chose the school of life over the academic path. His artistic journey is shaped by the vibrant colours and shifting stages of his life, which continue to inform his creative process.

Working across painting, performance, photography, and video, Thioye creates pieces with strong emotional and psycho-social depth. His work often addresses urgent themes such as the over-exploitation of the seas, coastal erosion, the impact of tourism on cultural heritage, and the preservation of intellectual legacies around child protection. For him, the environment he comes from, both culturally and physically, is a living patchwork from which he draws meaning and material.
He trained in pigment and oil painting alongside Rosa Mundi, founder of the Biennale Internationale d'Art Sacré (BIAS), and took part in its 2023 Dakar exhibition, Parcours - L'art dans la cité. He also collaborates with the À Contre-Courant association and leads art workshops for children on the island of Ngor. Passion remains at the core of his artistic vision.