Ibrahim Ballo at the Mucem in Marseille as part of Mossi Traoré, la mode aussi

News

29 May 2026

From May 20 to November 16, 2026, the Mucem – Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille presents a major exhibition dedicated to Mossi Traoré, one of the most compelling voices in the contemporary French creative landscape. Titled Mossi Traoré, la mode aussi (Mossi Traoré, Fashion Too), the exhibition explores the designer’s practice through a perspective that extends beyond the conventional boundaries of fashion, bringing together craftsmanship, popular culture, living heritage, sustainability, and contemporary creation.

Developed in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition offers an immersive journey into Traoré’s creative universe, establishing a dialogue between fashion, artworks, photography, installations, archival materials, and objects drawn from the museum’s collections. At the heart of the project lies a reflection on the concept of transmission—the transmission of knowledge, gestures, memories, and cultural identities across generations and geographies.

It is within this broader framework that the work of Malian artist Ibrahim Ballo finds a particularly meaningful place.

Ibrahim Ballo Mucem — View of Ibrahim Ballo’s work at the MUCEM Marseille
Mossi Traoré, la mode aussi, Mucem, scénographie Roll, Mai 2026
© Nadine Jestin – Hans Lucas – Mucem

Ballo’s presence within the exhibition resonates strongly with many of the themes explored throughout the project. Through a practice that combines painting, weaving, embroidery, and traditional West African craftsmanship, the artist has developed a distinctive visual language centered on the preservation and transmission of cultural memory, transforming materials, techniques, and symbols into vehicles for contemporary storytelling.

Presented within the galleries of the Mucem, Ballo’s work enters into dialogue with a selection of garments and textile creations by Mossi Traoré, contributing to a broader narrative dedicated to craftsmanship, collective identity, and the capacity of art to safeguard cultural traditions that risk disappearing in an increasingly globalized world.

The relationship between the two artists extends beyond simple curatorial proximity. Both share an understanding of creation as a tool for cultural transmission and social responsibility. While Mossi Traoré approaches fashion as a social language capable of connecting territories, communities, and generations, Ibrahim Ballo’s artistic practice restores visibility to textile traditions and ancestral knowledge systems that have often remained absent from dominant narratives of contemporary art.

This convergence becomes particularly evident within the curatorial framework developed by the Mucem, where the notion of transmission serves as one of the exhibition’s central threads. As curator Julia Ferloni-Grandval has noted, both the museum and Mossi Traoré are committed to preserving and making cultural heritage accessible through an ongoing dialogue with the present. In this context, Ballo’s work emerges as both a natural and necessary presence within the exhibition.

Over the past several years, Ibrahim Ballo has attracted increasing attention from collectors, curators, and institutions through a practice that combines strong formal qualities with conceptual depth and a profound connection to cultural heritage. His inclusion in an exhibition of this scale and significance further confirms the growing recognition of his work within the international contemporary art landscape.

Grounded in a dialogue between heritage and innovation, memory and contemporary expression, Mossi Traoré, la mode aussi stands among the most significant exhibitions presented by the Mucem in recent years. Ibrahim Ballo’s participation within this institutional context not only highlights the strength of his artistic practice but also reflects the increasing attention paid by museums and cultural institutions to artists whose work engages with cultural transmission, craftsmanship, and collective identity.