Baba’s Art School – 101: #25 - "The Beauty of Difference"
- Paul G. Chandler
- Feb 23
- 4 min read
“You can’t begin too soon to encourage an appreciation of art! And each artwork has a story.”
THE BEAUTY OF DIFFERENCE - by Paul G. Chandler
Baba showing his two oldest grandchildren a painting by Senegalese artist Djibril Coulibaly
Not long ago I was standing in the passport control line after having flown into Lourdes, France. As we moved closer to the passport control agent, I could tell that the man ahead of me was increasingly nervous, and I asked him if he was alright. He shared that he had observed that fingerprint readers were being used, and explained that due to years of rock climbing, his finger tips had been worn down and it was unlikely that his prints would be able to be read by the machine. When his turn came, and as he predicted, he was pulled aside for further questioning, while I was ushered through after my turn at the fingerprint reader. Without being able to read his fingerprints, his identity was ambiguous. The uniqueness of our fingerprints makes them one the most trusted means of identification.
I have always found it magnificently mystifying that each of our fingerprints are unique to us. Out of the billions and billions of people who have been, are or will be on this planet, not one fingerprint is the same as another. A fingerprint is not just a physical imprint, but a sign of uniqueness. Our fingerprints are a reminder of how the Divine Artist created each and every one of us as marvelously exceptional.
Djibril Coulibay, Souvenir, 2024, Acrylic on canvas
Two of my grandkids are at the age where they can begin to understand this truth, so I felt it was a good time to introduce them to this special painting in my collection by a remarkable Senegalese artist named Djibril Coulibaly, who uses the fingerprint motif in a profoundly spiritual way throughout his art.
I acquired the painting as a generous gift from the artist. Born in 1996 in the capital city of Dakar, Djibril is a member of a Senegalese Sufi brotherhood known as the Mouride. His artistic practice is deeply rooted in his faith and spirituality, and his own artistic journey is inspiring. As an emerging artist he sought to discover a personal imprint that would set his work apart. This inner quest led him to intentionally explore different facets of his artistic expression, immersing himself in meditation, reflection and creation, searching for that unique signature that would resonate with his inner spirit and his desire for a distinct connection to the world.
In early 2024, after reflecting on Surah Al-Imran in the Qur’an, which speaks of God’s signs in creation and the rotation of day and night, Djibril had an epiphany. While gazing at his fingers, he realized that the swirls of his fingerprints were a natural and universal pattern that he felt could embody his artistic vision. This moment of revelation marked the beginning of a new phase in his art, and fingerprints became the central motif of his creative expression.
Djibril’s paintings are rich in colors and textures, full of captivating movement as fingerprints intertwine to form complex patterns in their composition. In his work, Djibril invites the viewer to reflect on fingerprints as symbols of identity, human uniqueness, and universal connection. Commenting on his art, he says, "My works are not meant to be looked at, but to be meditated upon.”
Djibril Coulibaly painting his fingerprint motifs
His paintings are often inspired by subjects such as family, love, and migration, pulling from observations of his own culture. They also included a spiritual dimension reflected in the fingerprint motif integrated within each work.
The impressionistic painting he gave me is of a woman carrying a baby on her back, the traditional way in which many African women carry babies wrapped in cloth. This tradition provides bonding, safety, and warmth, while keeping hands free to work. As I showed the painting to my grandkids, it was a wonderful opportunity to share with them that each new baby born into the world is an entirely unique and beautiful creation of the Divine Artist, which their distinct fingerprints represent as divine imprints.
I shared with them that just as each of our fingerprints are different, so are we each created uniquely, not just physically, but spiritually, emotionally and psychologically.
How beautiful to be able to share with my grandkids that they are each wondrously unique and special. And because of that, the Divine Artist will relate to them in different ways, tailored to the way they were created. Hence, our differences are to be enjoyed, appreciated and delighted in.
There is no question that religion is at its best when it encourages us to be most fully ourselves. It is at its worst when it does the opposite. My own spiritual journey has led me to embrace the beauty of diversity. It is tremendously liberating to understand our relationships with the Divine Artist in this way.
Baba's two oldest grandchildren captivated by the swirls on their own fingertips.
Djibril’s remarkable paintings serve to profoundly remind us that the Divine Artist works differently and mysteriously within us according to the way we have been created. My hope is that my grandchildren grow up to echo the poet in the Psalms (Zabur) who so beautifully states:
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
P.S. My two oldest grandchildren were captivated by the swirls on their own fingertips. They also loved learning how mothers carry babies on their backs in West Africa!
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For more information on Djibril Coulibaly, watch the short artist spotlight video below and/or read a profile piece by DakArtNews: Fingerprint Art: Unique and Universally Connected | Djibril Coulibaly
