Senegalese Artist Mor Faye Murf Bridges Africa and the Caribbean at CARIFESTA XV

From the rhythm of tunes to the bursts of colour, the lively pulse of CARIFESTA XV all echo a sense of belonging for Mor Faye Murf. This first time visit to Barbados for the renowned Senegalese visual artist and art-education leader feels the threads between his roots in Dakar, Senegal and the Caribbean pull tighter than ever.

Murf’s creative journey bloomed in the realm of self-learning, guided by passion. His work he said “explores humanity, migration, interculturality, environmental stewardship and social transformation through mixed media, painting, sculpture and installation.” Audiences around the world, from Gambia and Nigeria to Sweden, Norway, Italy, Hungary and beyond have encountered his emotionally powerful, often black-and-white hybrid figures and immersive communal scenes.

But Murf wears more hats than artist alone. He leads the Association of Art Education Environment as President, spearheading creative workshops, exhibitions and interdisciplinary dialogue both in Senegal and internationally. He also serves as president of PACA Senegal (Panafrican Circle of Artists) and is a member of the broader cultural council, CSARTS.

At CARIFESTA XV, Murf was invited as a guest to the International Pan-African Painting Workshop where his aim is “to demonstrates how art can chronicle, connect and elevate. Barbados is not much different from Senegal and the energy is resonant. The same vibrancy, openness and warmth flow here as in Dakar. It is the same root.” This all points to the deeper continuities that bind Africa and the Caribbean. However, the Caribbean offers him more than familiarity but for him it also brings new opportunity. Through CARIFESTA, Murf seeks to open doors for Senegalese and African artists worldwide to ultimately nurture exchange, visibility and mutual learning.

Mor Faye Murf demonstrates a papier-mâché painting technique using a palette knife, as students observe during the Pan-African Painting Workshop at CARIFESTA XV.

This international presence, however, does not make him complacent. He argues that art needs real infrastructure: support systems, educational access and institutional buy-in. Creating is one thing; sustaining creativity through access and opportunity is quite another. Therefore, he “champions policies and programs that give artists the chance to flourish without compromising their vision.”

CARIFESTA XV, for him, is more than a cultural event. It is also a handshake across oceans which celebrates shared stories and calls for more ongoing collaboration. And his leadership in art and environmental education all affirm that art is not passive but generative.

And so, as he journeys forward, Murf carries both gratitude and a charge. He sees his role as both guardian and guide to protect traditions while propelling them into fresh, global spaces. He extends heartfelt thanks to the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and the CEO Carol Roberts-Reifer for inviting him into CARIFESTA and enabling this powerful exchange of creativity and culture. (PR)